- Grade Focus
- Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5
- Age Level
- 9, 9, 10
- Subject
- Social Studies
- Technology Integration Activity
- Discovering the Internet, Imaging, PowerPoint Presentations
Introduction
Students will observe their community in order to discover responsible and irresponsible behaviors. The students will then study how these behaviors affect the community and why it is important for citizens to practice responsible behaviors. Students will use their new knowledge to attempt to persuade others to be good citizens.Prerequisite Experience
Students need to have been exposed to how to observe their environment and take notes about their observations in an organized manner. Students should also have some experience with expository writing. Students need to be familiar with a word processing program such as Microsoft Word and a multimedia presentation program, such as Microsoft PowerPoint.Teacher Prep Time
Teacher may want to reference the lesson plan, The More We Get Along, the Better We Will Learn, located on the Nortel LearniT site.For the Engage Section: Have another adult (principals are great!!) come into the room and have a loud, over-dramatic confrontation in front of the students. Hopefully this will surprise the students because it is not your normal behavior.
The teacher needs to arrange an audience for the students to present their speeches to at the end of the unit.
Review these training videos from Nortel LearniT
• Discovering the Internet, http://nortellearnit.org/technology/Discovering_the_Internet/
• Imaging, http://nortellearnit.org/teachnology/Imaging/
• PowerPoint Presentations, http:.//nortellearnit.org/technology/PowerPoint_Presentations/
Use the web site below for information on expository paragraphs.
http://www.webenglishteacher.com/expwriting.html
MATERIALS:
Chart paper
Markers
Loose-leaf paper
Pencils
Posters
Construction paper
Markers
Crayons
Projector
Computer with word processing program and multimedia program
Project
Students will study what it means to be a responsible citizen. They will research within their community types of responsible and irresponsible behaviors observed. They will then create an expository writing based upon their research and turn the writing into an informative speech to be presented to an assembled audience. The students will also create a multimedia presentation, such as a slide show to reinforce the information contained in the speech.Assessment/Grading
There will be many opportunities for assessment. Each student group will be evaluated on research, planning, content, and their use of technology during their presentation. They will also be graded upon the content of their speech.Time Management Tips
Students will work in pairs throughout the majority of this project.Lesson Plan Details
Engage
Teacher: Note Teacher Prep Time for information on what to do before the students begin the Engage section.Did anything out of the ordinary just happen? Was that your teacher's normal behavior? Don't worry, it was just an act and your teacher hasn't gone crazy.
1. If this would have been a real confrontation, what do you think could have been the cause of the confrontation? Brainstorm with a partner causes of the confrontation and effects of the confrontation. Can you and your partner think of better ways you could have handled the situation?
2. What is a citizen? How do citizens affect their community? Share your thoughts with your classmates.
Explore
1. Observe your community for a few days. Make a list of responsible and irresponsible behaviors that you see.
Examples:
Responsible
Picking up trash
Voting
Obeying laws
Irresponsible
Speeding
Littering
Stealing
2. As you complete this homework assignment, think about the word citizen. What does it mean? How do you become a citizen? What are some roles citizens play in the community? As a class, create a definition of the word citizen to be posted in the room.
3. Bring in your list of responsible and irresponsible behaviors observed throughout the community. Using Microsoft Word, create a T-Chart that separates the two types of behaviors. Print your T-Chart for your teacher. As a class and using a projector, create a T-Chart that consists of all the new information the students supplied. Does anyone disagree with any of the behaviors? Should any of the behaviors be moved to the opposing side? Be prepared to justify your answer if you disagree with anything.
Sample T Chart | |
| Good Citizenship | Bad Citizenship |
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4. Now, working with a partner, choose two of the irresponsible behaviors on the chart and theorize why people do these things. How do these behaviors affect the community? Try to choose different behaviors than the other groups have chosen.
5. Create a chart using Microsoft Word for Cause and Effect and record your thoughts. (For Example: Speeding: Cause they are late for work, Effect could cause an accident/get a ticket).
Behavior | Cause | Effect |
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6. Once you have completed your Cause and Effect Chart, report your findings to your class.
7. Now, choose two responsible behaviors and complete the same task as you did with the irresponsible behaviors.
Explain
Now that you and your partner have completed the research on types of responsible and irresponsible behaviors observed within your community, you will use a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word, to write two expository paragraphs. One paragraph should discuss positive effects people have on their communities and one paragraph should include negative effects people can have on their communities. Each paragraph should include a topic sentence and 3-4 supporting sentences.Elaborate
You and your partner will use your expository paragraphs to write a persuasive speech and multimedia presentation that will encourage others to be good citizens. Include examples you saw in the community and at least one visual that enhances your speech. While you are creating your speech, keep these types of questions in mind:1) What is a citizen?
2) What are positive effects people have on their communities?
3) What are negative effects that people have on their communities?
4) What are some things in our community that need to be improved?
5) What would our community be like if everyone worked to make it a better place?
Use a multimedia program, such as PowerPoint to create a slide show that reinforces your speech with visuals.
If you are unfamiliar with how to use presentation software like PowerPoint, review the PowerPoint training videos from Nortel LearniT at: http://www.nortellearnit.org/technology/PowerPoint_Presentations/
Use the PowerPoint Storyboard provided to organize your slides.
Be prepared for questions from the audience at the end of your speech.
Evaluate
An evalution rubric has been provided to use for assessment.Extend
Consider these suggestions for extending the lesson.1. Have a speech contest to provide extra motivation for
students.
2. Use one-time use cameras or digital cameras to take pictures of others completing responsible behaviors in your community. Display these in the school/classroom or publish them with an article in the school newspaper.
3. Go into your community and conduct a survey of positive and negative behaviors people admit to completing and the motivations behind their actions.
4. Create posters to put in the community or a bulletin board to put in the hallway that will encourage others to be good citizens.