TAH Lesson Plan

TAH Lesson Plan Teacher Jennifer Cecarelli Grade 2nd Title Rules at Home at School and in Town: Behavioral Expectations for Children in Colonial America and 2010 Subject Area(s) Social Studies with an integration of Language Arts and Technology Overview Students will be comparing and contrasting behavioral expectations in three major areas of life in Colonial America and in present day America. Areas of focus include rules at home, at school, and the creation of rules at the Town level. Essential Understanding Behavioral expectations of children in Colonial America were quite different than those of today. Essential Questions 1. What were the behavioral expectations of Colonial children at home? How are the expectations of you alike and different? 2. What were the expectations of Colonial children at school? How are the expectations similar or different from what is expected of you at school? 3. How were rules created in Colonial towns? How can we apply that system to rules in our classroom of today? CT Standards CT Social Studies GLE’S: 2.1 – Access and gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources (maps, charts, graphs, images and print materials).

2.3 – Create various forms of written work to demonstrate an understanding of history and social studies issues.

3.3 - Apply appropriate historical, geographic, political, economic and cultural concepts and methods in proposing and evaluating solutions to contemporary problems. Objectives The students will be able to compare and contrast the role of rules in their lives today, in home, at school, and at the town level, with the behavioral expectations of children in Colonial America using books, Venn Diagrams, technology, persuasive and narrative writing, and the Internet. Materials  If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern  Historic Communities: A Child’s Day by Bobbie Kalman  Historic Communities: A One-Room School by Bobbie Kalman  Emma’s Journal: The Story of a Colonial Girl by Marissa Moss  Colonial Times from A to Z : by Bobbie Kalman  Student Computer access for: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/colonialt imes.htm and www.readwritethink.org  Computers equipped with Kidspiration Software Copies of “An Alphabet of Lessons for Youth”, excerpted from the New England Primer available at www.johansens.us/sane/education/primer.htm  Slates and chalk  Plain newsprint paper  Construction paper  Twine  Rulers  Pencils  Copies of New Haven Register article on Silly Bandz from May 16, 2010, accessible at: www.newhavenregister.com, Search : “Silly Bandz”  A few “Silly Bandz” bracelets (optional)  Highlighters  Lined Paper  Copies of “Double Stuffed Oreo” graphic organizer  Graph Paper to create “Samplers”  Multiple Copies of “Aesop’s Fables”  Venn Diagrams  Timeline (in 25 year increments) from 1600-2050, detailing major events that occurred during those periods, to provide a time context for study.  Sticky notes with important historical events written on them to be added to timeline, to further expand student understanding of the Colonial Period in history.

Day 1 Details of the Activity  The teacher will begin the unit of study by discussing the Introduction to Colonial goals and objectives of both the unit, and today’s activity with Life, and Rules at the children. Home, especially on the  The teacher will tap prior knowledge of the Time Period by Sabbath reviewing the timeline with the children. Children will be asked to contribute events that are missing from the timeline, (such as the abolition of slavery, women earning the right to vote, desegregation, the introduction of the “Model A”, man walking on the moon, etc.) which have been written on their “Sticky Notes” prior to the beginning of class. The teacher and the rest of the class will work together to place the events in proper sequence, using the events already written on the timeline as a guide.  Students will be asked, based on what they’ve learned about where in history the Colonial Period falls, to make predictions about what life was like during that time.  The teacher will then read excerpts from If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern and Historic Communities: A Child’s Day by Bobbie Kalman, calling special attention to the roles of children in the household, and the behavioral expectations therein.  The teacher will call the students’ attention to the fact that rules were especially strict on the Sabbath, which was a day when no one was allowed to play, and only “quiet activities” were acceptable.  The teacher will share 2 such “quiet activities” with the students: reading “Aesop’s Fables”, and creating a cross- stitch sampler.  The teacher will share 2 real samplers with the students, and explain how the designs are made from squares stitched with “x”s. The students will then spend an extended time reading quietly, and/or designing samplers. Students who “break the Sabbath” will be assigned extra “chores” such as emptying class trash, clearing everyone’s snack mess, cleaning debris from the floor, and other undesirable class tasks.  After a class dialogue about the experience, the teacher will read an excerpt from Emma’s Journal by Marissa Moss. The teacher will explain that journals are “fun” to read because they make us feel like we’re actually “right there” in that period of time, yet they also are some of the best primary sources we have for piecing together our history.  The teacher will mention that the students keep a personal journal in class for recording gratitude and personal thoughts; however today, they’d be creating a journal of their “Colonial” selves; writing as though they were Colonial children, in response to the events of the day.  The teacher will then distribute copies of a few pages of Emma’s Journal , calling attention to how the marginal illustrations and the neat printing make the journal valuable as it’s easy to understand and informative.  The students will create a Colonial Journal, using construction paper, newsprint, and twine (twine is to thread through two holes punched in paper and will serve as a binding).  The students will complete an entry in their journal in the style of Marissa Moss that includes the Colonial date, and a description of their “New England Primer” lesson from the perspective of a real Colonial child who may have had a similar lesson in a one-room schoolhouse. Students may wish to draw marginal illustrations of the slate, ruler, etc.

Homework Students will be given a blank Venn diagram to complete with parent assistance that compares and contrasts the rules of Colonial homes for children to the rules in place in many homes today. Students will first need to describe what they learned in today’s lesson about rules of the Sabbath, and helping around the house. They may use the journal entry they created during the lesson, in addition to the sampler they created, as a starting point for conversation about behavioral expectations for children then and now. Completed Venn diagrams will be shared when children return to school, and we will create one large, classroom community Venn that includes all of the students’ information from individual homework assignments. Day 2 Details of the Activity  The teacher will begin the activity by reviewing the unit goals Rules at School and objectives, and introducing today’s goals and objectives and how they tie in to those of the unit.  The teacher will ask students to recall some of the rules for Colonial children that they learned in the previous lesson.  The teacher will then read excerpts from If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern and Historic Communities: A One-Room School by Bobbie Kalman, calling special attention to the roles of children in school and the behavioral expectations therein.  The teacher will explain that students will be participating in a Colonial lesson today, during which they’d be required to copy (perfectly) and memorize an excerpt from “The New England Primer”  First, the teacher will ask students to “make their manners” to the teacher, as outlined in Historic Communities: A One- Room School by Bobbie Kalman.  Next, the teacher will review the rules and post them on the board: write neatly, work silently, work in a timely manner, memorize your passage, mind your manners, etc.  The teacher will then distribute pencils, unlined paper, rulers, slates, chalk, and copies of “An Alphabet of Lessons for Youth”, excerpted from the New England Primer  The teacher will explain that the New England Primer was one of the only books available for schools in the colonial Era, and that the majority of schooling had Biblical foundations. The teacher will then share some excerpts from the Primer that haven’t been copied, that provide an example of the religious influence. The teacher will also explain that students were often expected to copy, memorize, and recite passages from the Primer as part of their lessons.  The teacher will then explain that many Colonial schools couldn’t afford paper, and that students had to work with slate and a stylus. After a while, when schools were able to afford paper, it didn’t have lines, and students had to draw the lines themselves.  The teacher will explain that during today’s lesson, students will have the opportunity to experience what “following” the rules looked like in Colonial schools, as they copy, memorize, and recite a portion of “An Alphabet of lessons for Youth”.  First, the teacher will have the students attempt to copy a portion of the passage neatly using a slate and chalk. The teacher will explain that the feedback she’ll provide isn’t “for real”; rather, it’s mimic that of a teacher in a Colonial schoolhouse (rigid and often biting). The students will find that it’s difficult to do a good job with chalk and a slate.  Next, the teacher will demonstrate how to draw equidistant lines on blank paper. The students will replicate this on their own papers. The students will then be asked to begin copying the verse again.  After about 5-10 minutes of copying, the students will be asked to study the excerpt, and try to “memorize” a few lines, by reading and rereading them silently.  When called upon by the teacher, students will stand and attempt to recite the passage, with the teacher providing feedback, explaining that in the Colonial era, students who failed to perform adequately would receive punishments such as wearing a dunce cap, standing on end, writing lines, or receiving the switch.  Students will then work with partners to create “T-Chart” in Kidspiration that has (in column 1) things that occurred ONLY in the Colonial schools, and (in column 2) things that still occur in schools today. Each pair will share their chart at the end of the lesson, and students will be asked to think, pair, and share what the benefits and risks might have been to such a tremendously structured learning environment.

Homework For homework, the students will add another entry to their “Colonial Journal”, detailing their reaction to the rote memorization lessons and strict discipline during class today. Students will pretend to be a Colonial Child as they write, Children will be encouraged to use illustrations in their journal entries, as in the style of author Marissa Moss in Emma’s Journal. Students may choose to use their printed “T” charts to remind them of points covered during the day’s lesson. Day 3 Details of the Activity  The teacher will begin the activity by reviewing the unit goals The Creation of Colonial and objectives, and providing an overview of this lesson’s goals Rules at the Town Level and objectives.  Teacher will hold up a baggie filled with “Silly Bandz” bracelets, and ask the students to share what they know about them. Several students (6) have parents who are teachers.  The teacher will ask the students to share whether their parents allow them in their classrooms. The teacher should mention that these bracelets are actually being banned in some classrooms in the state.  The teacher will; distribute copies of the article, and teachers and students will read the article together. During reading, students will be asked to highlight reasons why they are allowed and reasons why they’ve been prohibited.  Next, the teacher will make a “pro’s” and “cons” T-chart on the board. Students will then be asked to determine whether, if they were the teacher, they’d allow these bracelets to be worn and traded in their classrooms, and whether there’d be any restrictions on wearing or trading them.  Students will write a persuasive paragraph using the "double stuffed oreo" graphic organizer to plan their pieces (this approach to persuasive writing is well-addressed at : www.todaysteacher.com/SpiceItUp!.htm#persaude  . Students will be asked to share their completed pieces in a “Town Meeting” style forum from the Colonial Era (with the teacher serving as moderator), during which students may stand, state their full names, and read their essays aloud, serving as their publicly-stated opinion. This will culminate in a town-meeting style vote (with moderator presiding, and a show of hands with an audible “yeah” or “nay”. If it is determined that they should be allowed in class ("Article #1"), then students will vote on whether or not trading the bands should be allowed ("Article 2”) Homework Students will be asked to take the opposite point of view from the one they took during today’s lesson and complete a persuasive piece that supports the opposing viewpoint, and meets the “Double Stuffed Oreo” criteria.

Suggested  To assess what the students have learned about the Colonial Assessment/Evaluation Period in History, they will work in groups of 3 to create ABC Books about life for Children in the Colonial Era, using the “Creating ABC Books as Assessment” lesson plan at www.readwritethink.org  Students will be asked to share completed books with students in Elisa Sheffield’s Grade 1 class after their own study of the Colonial Era is complete, in order to practice public speaking skills, and extend the learning of their first grade school-mates. Rubric Rubric for ABC Books can be accessed and printed at: http://www.primary-education-oasis.com/support- files/abcbookrubric.pdf Possible  To further round out the exploration of the Colonial Era, the Extensions/Resources teacher may choose to implement lessons detailed in colleague Elisa Sheffield’s lesson plan entitled, “A Child’s Life in Colonial America vs. a Child’s Life in 2010”, as this plan addresses colonial foods, schooling, and leisure activities.