Big Unit Lesson Plan Donna Havron ElEd 4366 10/27/05 “What Makes a Good Citizen?” 1. Descriptive Characteristics Title: “What Makes a Good Citizen?” Grade Level: Fourth Grade Estimated Time Required: Ten 45-minute lessons Rationale and Overview: It is important for students to gain an understanding of citizenship, and how they fit into their classroom, community, and world. This unit will focus on citizenship, and how it varies throughout communities, cultures, and time periods, and will encourage the students to identify what makes them a good citizen in their classrooms and communities. This unit will also encourage students to be critical of certain situations in which “good citizenship” threatens social justice issues, and why that may occur. Standards Addressed: National (Citizenship) The student will identify the importance of good citizenship (Geography) The student will identify how people are different in different U.S. regions Minnesota (Historical Skills) The student will begin to use historical resources (Historical Skills) The student will present and explain the findings of a research project (Geography) The student will give examples that demonstrate how people are connectedto each other and the environment (Government and Citizenship) The student will recognize the importance of individual action and character in shaping civic life (Government and Citizenship) The student will explain the importance of law in the American constitutional system Duluth (Citizenship/Government) Understand the characteristics of the local community and participate in an activity which contributes to the improvement of his/her local community (Citizenship/Government) Recognize and define the rationale for the existence of governments by examining the following: Why societies need laws Overall Goals: 2. Specific Objectives Students will identify the term “citizen” by using a variety of resources and creating a KWL Students will identify what makes a good citizen in their classroom by creating individual and class lists of: what characteristics make a good citizen in their classroom, why it is necessary to be a good citizen in their classroom, and what they do as individuals to be good citizens in their classroom Students will identify what makes good citizens in their community by breaking up into research teams to identify and then teach their fellow students about how different laws, jobs, and acts of community service affect the community and citizenship Students will compare and contrast what makes a good citizen in communities, cultures,and time periods different from their own, by breaking up into partners to research and present to the rest of the class the varied information they find Students will identify a variety of situations in which “good citizenship” threatens social justice issues, by breaking up into partners to research and present to the class the information they find 3. Inquiry Questions What does the word “Citizen” mean? What makes a good citizen in my classroom? What makes a good citizen in my community? What makes a good citizen in communities, cultures, and time periods different from my own? Are there any situations you can think of in which “good citizenship” may have oppressed some groups of peoples? 4. Resources/ Materials Classroom Textbook Webster’s Dictionary Thesaurus Internet Additional Books (See attached list) Journal for each student Paper Encyclopedias5. Student Assessment Plan The students will assessed for learning throughout the entire unit to determine if adaptations need to be made for individual students or for the entire class. The studentswill be assessed for their learning, and will receive a grade for their two presentations and one culminating conference interview. The rubrics are outlined as follows: Rubric for Presentations CBAContentThe student provided information on the topic assigned, which included information from one of the three required factorsThe student provided information on the topic assigned, which included information from two out of the three required factorsThe student provided information on the topic assigned, which included information from three out of the three required factorsClarityThe student provided information on the topic which was clear, informative and factual in one out of the three required factorsThe student provided information on the topic which was clear, informative and factual in two out of the three required factorsThe student provided information on the topic which was clear, informative and factual in three out of the three required factorsRepresentative of UnderstandingThe student provided information on the topic which demonstrated his/her understanding and personal opinion in one out of the three required factorsThe student provided information on the topic which demonstrated his/her understanding and personal opinion in two out of the three required factorsThe student provided information on the topic which demonstrated his/her understanding and personal opinion in three out of the three required factors Rubric for Cumulative Interview CBAWhat is a Citizen?Student provides either a correct definition or example with little guidanceStudent provides a correct definition or correct example with noguidanceStudent provides a correct definition and a correct example with no guidance What makes a good citizen in our classroom?Student provides a correct explanation or a correct example with little guidance Student provides a correct explanation or a correct example with no guidanceStudent provides a correct explanation and a correct example with no guidanceWhat makes a good citizen in our community?Student provides a correct explanation or a correct example with little guidance Student provides a correct explanation or a correct example with no guidanceStudent provides a correct explanation and a correct example with no guidanceWhat makes a good citizen in communities, cultures, and time periods different from our own?Student provides a correct explanation or a correct example with little guidance Student provides a correct explanation or a correct example with no guidanceStudent provides a correct explanation and a correct example with no guidanceAre there any situations that you know of in which “good citizenship” may have oppressed a group of people and how does that make you feel?Student provides a correct example or