HONORS THESIS ABSTRACT THESIS SUBMISSION FORM AUTHOR: Esther Ortloff THESIS TITLE: Fifth Grade Curriculum Units:Text Supplements/Substitutes ADVISOR: Linda Felchlin ADVISOR'S DEPT.: Curriculum and Instruction DISCIPLINE: Elementary Education YEAR: MAY, 1996 PAGE LENGTH: BIBLIOGRAPHY: included after each unit ILLUSTRATED: yes, some illustrations included PUBLISHED: no COPIES AVAILABLE: ABSTRACT (100-200 WORDS): The focus of this project is to create units of instruction, ofa whole language approach, for teaching Social Studies in the elementary classroom. These units are designed to be used in place of or along with traditional curriculum. They span subjects covered throughout the year in a fifth grade classroom, and incorporate the six disciplines of Social Studies: anthropology, economics, geography, history, political-science, and sociology. This·project includes outdoor education lesson plans, articles, integration possibilities, videoresources, and internet lesson plans. This project is a.compilation of these resources designed to help a classroom teacher with effective instruction from various media. Research methods included obtaining several fifth grade texts to get an idea of what students are expected to learn. I chose several topics I decided were important and went to local libraries to research them and collect activities and appropriate children's literature. I have found that almost any topic can be approached from all six disciplines and thereby give students a more well-rounded education. I also concluded that units such as these are very necessary, as there is a lack of quality alternatives to traditional textbook material. I believe this prOject will prove very helpful to me arid teachers who use it. Student name: WHet.. OR.-TLOfE Approved by: ~ k~ Date: 5/8/9h • • / eURRICULUM UNITS ARTlec.&S TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Title Page Abstract Signatures Philosophy of Education II. Curriculum Units Viking Unit Native American Unit Early Explorer Unit Great Depression Unit U.S. Civil War Unit III. Articles Connect With the Community Our Earth, Our Responsibility Tap Into the Magic of Maps Video Tape Resources Listing at N.I.U. IV. Project Wild Lesson Plans V. Internet Lesson Plans Crossroads: Elementary School Curriculum Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION My philosophy of education is that students have the potential to achieve. I believe any child can learn, provided they have the motivation. I believe it is my job to encourage students to learn in the manner that suits them best. I am aware that multiple intelligences exist, and that these result in varied learning styles. I believe it is important to provide varied learning environments and media to accomodate these differences. I believe children learn by doing. Students learn best when they are able to somehow manipulate their learning with hands-on, engaging activities. Students have a lot to offer each other, and each student is an expert in something, however small. I believe students deserve respect, and deserve an education that is relevant, up-to-date, and well- rounded. I believe that with encouragement and high expectations, students can achieve more than they thought possible. The process of learning something is more important than the final product. It is important to see student improvement over time. UNITS OF INSTRUCTION The units of instruction which follow are a result of research on fifth grade social studies topics as stated in the title of each unit. These units are designed to be used in conjunction with, or to substitute traditional textbook instruction and expand the scope of instruction to that of the whole language philosophy of education. These units incorporate cooperative learning, recognize that students have multiple intelligences and learn differently from each other, reflect the belief that students learn best by doing and manipulating, and seek to harness the prior knowledge and intrinsic motivation present in students. The assessment and evaluation activities accompanying these units do not reflect traditional forms of assessment, but rather, a wholistic approach to assessment. The wholistic approach seeks to gather more samples of students' work to more accurately represent students' achievements and their process of learning. These samples of students' work are put into a portfolio which represents students progress and improvement over time, and gives a more complete picture of students' education and progress in learning. Each unit is followed by a corresponding bibliography of resources and materials. VIKING UNIT Who Discovered America? Grade Level: Fifth Unit Topic: The Vikings - First Europeans to land in North America Disciplines: History, Economics Key Concepts: Exploration, Conflict Interdependence, Specialization and Division of Labor Key Generalizations: People are often motivated to explore new lands in search of resources, land, trade routes and wealth. (exploration) People may purpose to serve their own ends, whatever the means, usually resulting in conflict. (conflict) For any society or people group to survive, there has to be a necessary interdependence between the members of the group. (interdependence) For a society to function well, each person must use their gifts and talents for the good of others, and each must perform certain tasks. (specialization and division of labor) Subideas: The Vikings were often motivated to explore new lands in search of resources, land, trade routes and wealth. (exploration) The Vikings often purposed to take over others wealth, possessions and people. This often resulted in conflict. (conflict) Farmland was in short supply, so farmers had to be fisherman and hunters, as well. (specialization and division of labor) While the men were away at sea, the women were left in charge of the farms. (interdependence) Children didn't go to school, instead they had to help with the chores at home and learn practical skills. Girls - cook, sew, skin animals, run a household; Boys - plow, hunt, fish, fight. (specialization and division oflabor) (interdependence) Objectives: 1. Students will be able to describe the people of the Viking Age, where and how they lived. 2. Students will understand why Viking raids upon western Europe were successful. 3. Students will understand and reflect upon the Viking's system of law and order. 4. Students will be actively involved in creating their own Viking jewelry. 5. Students will be able to list examples of interdependence. 6. Students will recognize specialization and division oflabor at home and in the school setting, and compare this with specialization and division of labor in the Viking setting. Initiation Activities: * Students will be asked to create a KWHL chart during whole class discussion. Students will brainstorm for ideas and knowledge that they already Know about the Vikings. They will tell what they Want to know, and How they wish to go about learning about it. Finally, at the end of the unit, the students will go back to their KWHL chart and discuss what they have Learned from this unit. This should be written on butcher paper. (obj.I-6) * Students will be asked to draw and color their pre-conceived ideas about Vikings and anything related to them. They will be asked to label their work. Later, students will draw and color another picture about Vikings after this unit. They will compare the two pictures and discuss the differences in front of the class in a short, informal, presentation. These pictures will be posted. (obj.l) * Students will be divided into small groups of 3-4, given index cards with short scenarios which students must act out. Each scenario will have to do with both interdependence and/or specialization and division of labor. Students will act these scenarios out for the class, and each one will be briefly discussed. When all groups have finished, the teacher will facilitate a discussion as to what patterns students noted, and ask students to express, in their own words, what concepts were essential to each scenario. Introduce interdependence and specialization and division of labor. (obj.6) Developmental Activities: * Read the book, Vikings by Rachel Wright, to the students. Discuss the people of the Viking Age, where they lived and how they made a living. Point out the misunderstandings that are often associated with Vikings and their weapons, motivation, and lifestyle. Ask students which misunderstandings they may have had before reading this book. (obj.l) * Students will construct their own Viking jewelry necklaces much like the ones talked about in the book by Rachel Wright. (obj.4) * Have educational stations set up around the room. Ask students to spend about 10 minutes at each station. One station will have the game of memory adapted to Viking life, and students will need to match the roles and tasks performed with either the men, women, or children. Another station will have children's books about Vikings for students to read. Another station will display letters from the Viking alphabet and which English equivalent corresponds to it. Students will be asked to write a short letter to their best friend using the Viking alphabet. Another station will have a matching game with vocabulary words on it and illustrations set out on a table. Students need to match the appropriate vocabulary words with the illustrations given. (obj.l) Evaluation Activities: * Students will journal in response to the Viking's system oflaw and order, describing their feelings about it, things which surprise them, which