I: Unit Topic And Strategy Background

Perspectives on Influential

People:

Social Studies Unit for Fifth Grade I: Unit Topic and Strategy Background

A. Unit Title: Perspectives on Influential People

This unit does not come directly from the Unit 4 “New Social Studies K-5 Scope and Sequence.” Instead, this unit is a conglomeration of a variety of units and sub-topics that works towards helping students develop an extensive understanding of their own perspectives and opinions as well as varying perspectives and opinions. It is designed to develop a classroom community that is safe, welcoming, and accepting of all different backgrounds and perspectives, teaching students the skills they need to effectively study social studies and history but more importantly, teaching students to develop social responsibility as citizens of the world.

There are elements of all the Unit 4 units and sub-topics in this unit plan, specifically focusing on fifth grade Unit 2: Justice, Freedom, and Equality in Wartime and Unit 4: Fighting for Equality, Justice, and Freedom through Civil Rights

Movements. Subtopics include: Relationship between War, Justice, Equality, and

Freedom; The Holocaust and Human Reaction to Genocide; Political Activism and

Activists Then and Now; Diversity within the Civil Rights Movement; Evaluating the

Impact/Success of the Civil Rights Movement.

B. Community Background and Perspectives:

Our unit is connected to the lives of students and their community through the history of their educational experience. Historically, students have not been taught the multiple perspectives of an event or the actions of a person. In addition to learning about multiple perspectives students should have the opportunity to learn about the impact of an individual’s actions on their lives and on the community they live in.

When asked about how they would approach such controversial topics we received a wide range of answers from current teachers in the field. The first teacher interviewed teaches the third grade in the Bronx. She thinks that the essential understandings of the unit are great, and she would implement it into her classroom especially given that our unit is interdisciplinary. The second teacher interviewed teaches the third grade in a Chicago Public School setting. She is concerned about the aspect of viewing a person as having a positive and negative influence. The third teacher interviewed teaches kindergarten in Rolling Meadows, IL and has had experience teaching pre-K through the third grade. While she thinks that our unit has great potential for upper grades, she is unsure of its effect on younger children. She, along with other teachers, believes that students need to be at a place in their education where they can truly understand the questions and concepts of the unit to benefit from it. She believes that the essential understandings of the unit are great to teach to students. The fourth teacher interviewed teaches the fourth grade at a school in Champaign, IL. She strongly believes that students should have exposure to diverse and controversial issues in the classroom. Unfortunately, as a couple of teachers mentioned, it is difficult for them to implement such a unit because of restrictions placed on them from their districts. Many teachers are expected to follow a strict curriculum and do not have time to include such an in-depth unit. For these teachers we encourage them to incorporate our essential understandings into their required social studies curriculum. C. Background Information on Unit Topic and Perspectives from Academic

Readings:

This unit is based on the idea that there are many influential people who affect the world and there are a number of diverse perspectives regarding those influential figures.

It should be noted that we often take for granted that an influential figure’s impact is either positive or negative, however, a figure’s affect on the world can be seen through a number of perspectives. Hitler, for example, is often viewed as a “bad guy.” This unit is driven by the idea that there was an idea behind Hitler’s cause and that his movement was supported. It is our hope that by viewing such cases from an alternative lens, students will come to appreciate that while people will often hold different views on a given subject, it is of the utmost importance to accept opinions different than our own to better understand the topic at hand.

This approach to history and historical figures can be seen in Takaki’s A Different

Mirror in which the author offers information and perspectives that often go unheard in

American history instruction. For example, he begins the book with the idea that the very notion of the man who discovered our nation is false. He continues, offering perspectives that are rarely featured in history books. The historical stories of minorities in America receive coverage in this uncommon book. Like Takaki, James W. Loewen has also provided an alternative take on the history we’ve learned in elementary school in his text

Lies My Teacher Told Me. He describes what we have learned about Christopher

Columbus as “either wrong or unverifiable” (39). He points to the fact that Helen Keller was a person after her Anne Sullivan years and informs the reader that Keller, a radical socialist, “learned how the social class system controls people’s opportunities in life, sometimes determining even whether they can see” when examining the patterns of blindness and medical treatment in a capitalist society (21).

We hope that this unit will do for third grade students what these academic texts have done for the adult world. They have provided the silenced with a voice that has often gone unheard of in an education system that more often than not seems to be a monopoly of information. By informing students of the multiple perspectives on a single topic we hope that they may use that information to guide their own choices to influence the world in a positive way and encourage the dialogue that is essential to a peaceful tomorrow.

D. Background information on Instructional Strategies:

 Discussion: I have participated in discussions throughout my school career. Discussion can take place in many different forms. Moreover, discussions have been one of the most effective ways that I have understood and retained information. Discussions can be constructive ways to challenge and strengthen ideas.  Synthesizing: Synthesizing is an instructional strategy that I have learned about in a literacy methods course. Synthesizing is the practice of monitoring the overall meaning, important concepts, and themes in a text. Synthesizing is a practice that can be extended to understanding ideas outside of literature as well, such as historical events.  Interviewing: During seventh grade, I can recall interviewing my neighbor about the Vietnam War. This instructional strategy was not only significant for learning about the Vietnam Way but also for learning more about my neighbor in general. Interviews are a way to make topics and events genuine and actual.  Journals/Reflections Log: During the final year of my college career, I was required to reflect upon all my experiences as a student teacher as well as for many other projects. I felt that it helped me become more aware of my thinking in addition to my progress. Journals/reflections can be used to document thoughts and growth.  Visualization: Visualization is a practice that mostly all people do. When a person is telling me a story, I picture in my head the events that are expressed. I learned that this was an instructional strategy in my literacy methods course. Students can develop and polish visualization with instruction and practice. Visualization would help students be actively engaged and self monitor their understanding.  Asking Question: “There is no such thing as a stupid question.” I do believe that asking questions is important. When I ask questions, I am able to organize and clarify my thought process and confusions. Students need to learn how to ask questions in order to clarify meaning, wonder about forthcoming events, speculate about intent, etc.  Role Playing/Simulations: In my fifth grade class, we were learning about the Boston Massacre. My teacher split the class into half and each half was assigned a role: the British or the colonists. We threw crumpled pieces of paper at each other to simulate the fighting that occurred during the Massacre. I have never forgotten about this event because I had the opportunity to reenact it. Role- playing and simulations help in understanding the perspectives of others and grasping historical events.  Web/ Concept Map: During my elementary schooling, making a web was a way to brainstorm ideas. It was most commonly used to come up with a topic for writing pieces. Recently, I have used webs to show connections between topics and concepts. This would be an organized way to display the instructional strategy of making connections.  KWL Chart: See attached sheets for detailed description.  Making Connections: See attached sheets for detailed description.

KWL Chart

The KWL chart is an instructional strategy that I have read about and have discussed in many college methods courses. The first encounter I had with this strategy was during a science methods class. This chart organizes “What the students know” (K),

“What the students want to know” (W), and what the students learned” (L). Teachers can use this chart to assess the student’s prior knowledge about a subject by completing the K section of the chart, to get a better understand of what the students know. Then the teacher can use the information in the W section to become familiar with what the students what to know. This way the lessons are geared towards what the students want to know about the topic, making it more interesting and engaging. Finally, the students and teacher can fill out the last section, L, to gauge what the students learn from the lesson(s). This instructional strategy helps both the students and teachers reflect upon the effectiveness of the lesson, in terms of learning and teaching. The students can see their development in regards to what they gained or perhaps did not gain; and the teachers can assess the effectiveness of their lesson(s) by noting the students’ progress by comparing the information in the three categories. This instructional strategy is a great tool to see a concrete correlation between what the students know, what the students want to know, and what the students learned.

Making Connections

I have learned and comprehended ideas and concepts best when I am able to relate to them; that practice is called making connections to self. I do this when I am reading books, engaging in conversations, and watching movies. There are three types of connections: to self, to a text, to the world.

Students begin to understand making connections to themselves early on. Moreover, students need scaffolding and practice to make connections to themselves, to other texts, and to the world. The teacher should provide the students opportunities to practice this instructional strategy. The point of making connections is to help the student better understand the text they are studying; it is not to make connections for the sake of making connections. There will be times when students will not have adequate background knowledge to make connections. It is important that students see the topics studied in school as relevant to their lives, in ways they can related to and connect to. II: Resource Review

A & B. General Resources, Unit Resources and Annotated Bibliography:

Note: The resources with stars (*) next to them are actually utilized in the unit. All resources have critiques and explanations for their purpose in the unit.

Professional, Strategy, Background Information, and Content Resources

Hamston, Julie and Murdoch, Kath. Integrating Socially. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1996.

*This text is an excellent resource for teachers who include social justice and responsibility education within their classrooms. It provides information and strategies to teach students about how to explore their world- past and present and about how to be socially responsible. This is used within the unit as a resource for teaching the inquiry strategies as well as the Key Perspectives and Principles for Teaching Social Justice.

Levstick, Linda S., and Barton, Keith C. Doing History. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, 2005.

Loewen, James W. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995.

In this text, Loewen provides readers with a clear and extensive clarification of historical inaccuracies that the majority of Americans do not know about. Teachers will benefit from reading this text to scaffold their own understanding of the different social content areas that they teach in this unit. While much of the text focuses on overall social and historical inequities, it provides background for the time periods in which the selected influential people lived.

Zinn, Howard. Voices of a People’s History of the United States. New York: Seven Stories Press, 2004.

This text is an excellent resource for teachers and students; it provides first person documents from various eras in American history. These documents may help teachers and students better understand the varying perspectives that people have about the leaders that influenced and are influencing the world. It provides accurate background information for teachers and students.

General Resources

Morris, Neil. Modern World Leaders. Minnesota: Chrysalis Education, 2003. This children’s book provides students with clear and mostly accurate information about a variety of world leaders of the twentieth century. It begins with an explanation of who leaders are and how they influence the world. While the detailed descriptions of each leader do not necessarily include varying perspectives, they do provide students with background information about the leaders to help them gain a better perspective about how and why the leaders came to influence the world. Includes Adolf Hitler, Nelson Mandela, and others.

Skinner, Daphne. My Side of the Story: The Queen and Snow White. New York: Disney Press, 2003.

*While this text provides no historical information, it is an excellent resource for teachers to use to teach students of all ages about perspectives and opinions. This book takes the familiar story of ‘Snow White’ and tells it from two different perspectives, the Queen and Snow White’s. Each side of the story reveals that the actual story may be biased or may not include all the same information. Most importantly, it reveals that people may view the same experience differently because they have different perspectives. It is a familiar and engaging way to introduce students to the concepts of perspective and opinion.

Helen Keller

"Helen Keller Kids Museum Online." Helen Keller Kids Museum. 2003. American Foundation for the Blind. 07 Dec. 2005 .

*This website is a great resource for teachers and students to use to find out information about Helen Keller. It has fantastic photographs of Helen divided into main chapters of her life. The website also showcases video footage of Helen. One powerful piece of video footage that we found was of her teacher Anne Sullivan demonstrating how Helen learned how to speak.

Kent, Deborah. Helen Keller: Author and Advocate for the Disabled. Chanhassen: The Child's World, 2004.

*This book explains the extent to which Helen Keller fought for the rights of the people who have a disability. It also shows the sacrifice she made for students who were unable to afford to go to the special school for the blind. This book shows how important Helen Keller was for the treatment of persons with disabilities.

Kudlinski, Kathleen. Helen Keller: A Light for the Blind. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1989. *We decided to use this book to have accessible for students when they research Helen Keller. The book outlines the help that Helen provided for blind people and how they have benefited from her foundation and support.

Lawlor, Laurie. Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit. Washington D.C.: Laurie Lawlor, 2001.

*This book gives readers an idea how Helen was as a young child and determined advocate for human rights and world peace. It is a resource we decided to have available for students conducting research on Helen Keller.

Lynch, Emma. Lives and Times: Helen Keller. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2005.

*This in-depth view of Helen Keller gave the reader a rich story of how Helen grew up and decided to spend her time. It discusses tougher moments and issues in Helen’s life that many other books skipped over (i.e. socialism, equal rights). It is a great book to read chapters from to a whole class.

McLeese, Don. Helen Keller: Discover the Life of an American Legend. Vero Beach: Rourke Publishing LLC, 2003.

*This is a good book for students to use for research. They can find a lot of facts about Helen Keller and her life in this book. We used this book as an option for students to use when they research Helen Keller.

Zonderman, Jon. Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan: Working Miracles Together. Woodbridge: Blackbirch Press, 1994.

*This book showcases the extensive progress that Helen and Anne made towards helping people who are blind. They worked very hard not only to help Helen reach her full potential, but also to help others like her to reach that same level. This is a great book to use for students who want to look for more information on their own.

Nelson Mandela

Battersby, John. Interview with Nelson Mandela. 10 Feb. 2000. Christian Science Monitor. 8 Dec. 2005. .

*This is an in-depth article about the author’s interview with Nelson Mandela. In the text Mandela talks about how he would like to be remembered, his time in prison, Mandela’s reflection and the power of education. Due to the advanced nature of the interview’s writing and its content, this text may work best for students excel at reading. The interview will be included as a resource that students may reference when conducting their research.

Brink, Andre. Leaders of the Century: Nelson Mandela. 13 Apr. 20005. TIME Magazine. 8 Decc 2005 . *This text by TIME Magazine On-Line offers an on-line biography about Nelson Mandela. Students should reference this text for an age-appropriate resource if on-line resources are required by the instructor.

Finlayson, Reggie. Nelson Mandela. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 2003.

*This book is written for older students, perhaps grades 5-8. It is an overview of Madela’s life, concentrating on his childhood in the Xhosa nation, his training as a lawyer, and his rise through the ranks of the ANC. His actual imprisonment, release, and election to the presidency of South Africa are confined to the last 15 pages. This book would be available for all students to research from but will probably be selected by high-reading students.

Green, Robert. Nelson Mandela: Activist for Equality. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World, 2003.

*A biography of the South African leader who became a civil rights activist, political prisoner, and president of South Africa. This book will be included in the classroom’s unit library. Students may select it to perform research about the questions they formed about Mandela and his life.

Katz, Bobbi. Meet Nelson Mandela, A Champion of Freedom. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 1995.

The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela. May 1999. WGBH Educational Foundation. 8 Dec. 2005 .

*This on-line resource offers much insight into the life and accomplishments of Nelson Mandela. The base page for this resource provides links to a number of resources and interactive features such as maps, timelines, and a discussion board. A lot can be done with this page. In this unit, students are to browse the page and use it to research the answers to the questions they formed about Mandela’s life and achievements.

McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela. New York, NY: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2002.

*This book introduces Mandela as a resolute leader determined to fight apartheid. The author offers the acts of Mandela’s life simply and the colorful illustrations reach out and engage the reader. While written for younger readers, this introductory biography will serve as a good introduction to Nelson Mandela. It will be accessible for all students so that each student can start on the same page at the beginning of the unit. A hand-drawn map of South Africa appearing on either endpaper will serve as a useful reference for students as they conduct their research.

Nelson Mandela. 8 Dec. 2005. African National Congress. 8 Dec. 2005 .

*Created by the people at the African National Congress, this webpage for Nelson Mandela provides the reader with biographical details, a brief biography, and a link to Mandela resources. Students may enjoy using this authentic African website while researching their questions about Mandela and may follow up on the resource links to learn more about the topic.

Christopher Columbus

Alter, Judy. Our People: Christopher Columbus. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World, 2003. *This picture book introduces the reader to the life of Christopher Columbus, his accomplishments, and his impact on the world as we know it. The first nine pages have been selected for use in the unit’s second lesson plan to introduce students to the idea that there are two sides to the story of Columbus’ “discovery” of the Americas.

Burgan, Michael. Christopher Columbus: Opening the Americas to European Exploration. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World, 2004.

*This text is a picture book that briefly introduces the life of explorer Christopher Columbus, his accomplishments, and his impact on the world as we know it. We chose to exclude this book from the lesson plan proper but would include it in the classroom’s unit library for students to read if they so desired. This book was not included in the lesson plan because there was only enough room for two picture books and we felt that other texts offered superior graphics and illustrations.

Gleiter, Jan, and Thompson, Kathleen. First Biographies: Christopher Columbus. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers, 1995.

Morganelli, Adrianna. Christopher Columbus: Sailing to a New World. New York, NY: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2005.

*This picture book introduces the reader to the life of Christopher Columbus, his accomplishments, and his impact on the world as we know it. The text offers insight into the lives of the peoples who already occupied the Americas when Columbus arrived. Pages 22-25 will be included in the unit’s second lesson to encourage students to think critically about Columbus’ impact on these people and their lives.

Ruby Bridges

"A Class of One." Online News Hour: A Conversation with Ruby Bridges Hall -- February 18, 1997. Fe 1997. PBS. 07 Dec. 2005 .

*This is an interview given to Ruby Bridges about her obstacles and her recollection of being the first black child to go to an “integrated” school. We used this interview during the Ruby Bridges lesson where students were able to find out and understand her perspective of the events that took place in the early 1960s to integrate the public schools.

Bridges, Ruby. Through My Eyes. New York: Scholastic Press, 1999.

*This book is a great recollection of the many events that surrounded integration in the early 1960s. It explains Ruby’s life story –struggles, heartache, and ultimately overcoming difficulties in her life. The book includes fantastic photographs showing what happened and quotes from influential people that helped Ruby make it through.

Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby Bridges. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1995.

*This book is a wonderful resource that is easy for to read independently at the fifth grade level. It gives a brief overview of the first year that Ruby walked into the classroom of an integrated school. This book was written by a child psychologist who helped Ruby cope with the racial prejudice that she faced every day on her way to school. Adolf Hitler

Lobel, Anita. No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War. Greenwillow: New York, 1998.

*This book is the autobiography of Anita Lobel, who was a child during WWII. In the book, she tells about the struggles that she faced daily as a Jewish child during this time in Poland, and later in hiding and various concentration camps. This book is important to include because it is the first-person account of a someone directly impacted in horrible ways by the Holocaust (and therefore Hitler). The book is especially important because it is told by a person who was a similar age to the students when the Holocaust took place, and therefore will be easier for them to make connections with.

Nardo, Don. Adolf Hitler. New York: Lucent Books, 2003.

*This book is a biography of Hitler’s life. It is used because it gives the story of Hitler’s entire life, from birth to death. The format is fairly easy, and there are at least two pictures on every page, which will make it easier for the students to use.

Warren, Andrea. Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps. Harper Collins: New York, 2001.

*This is a historical fiction book about a boy imprisoned in a death camp during WWII. Though the information is not non-fiction, this book provides the readers with a character that they can connect with (the focus of the lesson). This book would be best used as short segments of individual reading for the students, or as a teacher read-aloud at the beginning of each lesson. http://www.secondworldwar.co.uk/ahitler.html

*This website provides a short biography of Hitler’s life. I chose to use this website as opposed to others because each segment of his life is titled with the subject and date. This makes the website easy to navigate and useful for finding specific information. http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/people/perps.htm

*This website is designed for teachers, and provides links to other useful websites, along with many pictures of different parts of Hitler’s life and the Holocaust. The website also provides teachers with information useful in planning and implementing lessons about these difficult topics.

Note: The following two resource lists for Abigail Adams and Mahatma Gandhi are simply rough lists of possible books the students might use to complete their final projects on influential people. We did not critique these texts as it will be the students’ responsibility to find, utilize, and critique the validity of resources on their own.

Abigail Adams

Ferris, Jeri Chase. Remember the Ladies: A Story about Abigail Adams. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, Inc, 2001.

Davis, Kate. The Revolutionary War: Abigail Adams. San Diego: Blackbirch Press, 2002.

Bober, Natalie S. Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1995.

Mahatma Gandhi

Malaspina, Ann. Mahatma Gandhi and India’s Independence in World History. New Jersey: Enslow Publishers, Inc, 2000.

Wheeler, Jill C. Gandhi. Minnesota: ABDO & Daughters, 2003.

Richards, Glyn. Gandhi’s Philosophy of Education. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Finkel, Ann Lee. Gandhi: The Truth Can Fight. British Columbia: Ti-Jean Press, 1997.

Martin, Christopher. Mohandas Gandhi. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 2001.

RAwding, R. W. Gandhi and the Struggle for India’s Independence. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company, 1982.

Demi. Gandhi. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2001. III: Unit Overview, Outline and Lessons

A. Overview and Rationale:

Our unit is important for fifth graders to learn especially at a time where they are learning to become critical of what they hear. Around this age students start to become more reflective and inquisitive. From our experience with students this age, they want to learn more about the social issues of our world. It is essential to teach students to be sensitive to multiple perspectives at an early age so as to promote tolerance and acceptance of points of view different than their own. Without teaching our students about these enduring understandings it is possible to cultivate ignorance about our world’s history and mistakes. Because of this, we could lead our students into making the same mistakes that have been made in the past.

This unit connects to the aspect of social studies that there are multiple perspectives and resources that can be explored outside of the social studies textbook.

While learning about key individuals of our history, students are able to gain a better viewpoint of past events and how to live in the present to make positive changes for the future. Our hope is that this unit will give students the opportunity to view history through another person’s perspective, and gain a better understanding of our society.

Our unit is shaped by key perspectives of the social studies field. Some perspectives that we focus on in our unit are: making choices and taking action, thinking critically, justice, rights, and responsibilities, historically excluded people, cultural heritage, and developing values. Our unit also reflects our belief that students are decision-makers in their lives and should become active in their society to make positive change. Our unit meets this objective by including lessons that are multicultural, critical, grounded in the lives of our students, hopeful, and promote activism. B. Unit Plan Outline

Group Members: Amy Bergeson, Meghan Kamani, Carrie Jo Meyer, Krista Moody, Carly O’Brien

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Grade Level: 5

Essential Questions:  How have influential people influenced or affected the world?  How have influential people affected your (student) life?  What is your perspective and/or opinion about these influential people?  How is your perspective different or similar to other people’s perspectives and/or opinions?  How have influential people affected the lives of people who are similar to you (student)?  How have influential people affected the lives of people who are different than you?  Do all people believe that these influential people have had a positive affect?  Do all people believe that these influential people have had a negative affect?  Are there varying perspectives about influential people? Why?  Why do people have these perspectives?  Should we accept different perspectives? Why or why not?

Essential Understandings:  There are many people in the world who are considered influential at various levels. Some people influence us at local, state, national, and global levels.  These influential persons are not viewed by all people and societies as having a positive affect on the world.  Typically, there are at least two different views about an influential person.  People have varying perspectives and opinions about influential people. Some people view certain influential people as having a positive affect on the world. Others view them as having a negative affect.

List of Unit Lessons:

Lesson 1- Perspectives on Opinion Lesson 2- Influential People Lesson 3- Perspectives on Influential People: Tuning In Lesson 4- Helen Keller: Preparing to Find Out Lesson 5- Nelson Mandela: Stamp Making/Finding Out Lesson 6- Christopher Columbus: Sorting Out Lesson 7- Ruby Bridges: Going Further Lesson 8- Adolf Hitler: Making Connections Lesson 9- Influential People Project: Utilizing Inquiry Strategies Lesson 10- How to Become an Influential Person: Taking Action

Illinois Learning Standards:

 14.C.2 Describe and evaluate why rights and responsibilities are important to the individual, family, community, workplace, state and nation (e.g., voting, protection under the law).

 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy.

 14.F.2 Identify consistencies and inconsistencies between expressed United States political traditions and ideas and actual practices (e.g., freedom of speech, right to bear arms, slavery, voting rights).

 15.B.2c Explain that when a choice is made, something else is given up

 16.A.2a Read historical stories and determine events which influenced their writing.

 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present.

 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources.

 16.D.2c (US) Describe the influence of key individuals and groups, including Susan B. Anthony/suffrage and Martin Luther King, Jr./civil rights, in the historical eras of Illinois and the United States.

 17.D.2a Describe how physical characteristics of places influence people’s perceptions and their roles in the world over time.

 18.B.2a Describe interactions of individuals, groups and institutions in situations drawn from the local community (e.g., local response to state and national reforms

Description of Culminating Unit Summative Assessment:

 Final Project: There will be pre-assigned small groups. The small groups will be paired with another small group. Together they will choose an influential person (or the teacher will pre-assign them one). This unit allows the teacher to choose between letting students select their influential people or researching Abigail Adams and Gandhi. One of those groups will research the positive perspectives of the person’s affects and the other will group will do the negative perspectives. There will be a formal presentation at the end of researching phase in which the students will use persuasive techniques. The form of presentation will be up to the students. C: Lesson Plans

Lesson 1- Perspectives on Opinion

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate Time: 50-60 minutes

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students already know how to behave appropriately during whole-class and partner discussion. They are familiar with journal writing.

Learning Objectives: Students will be able to define opinion, perspective and acceptance. Students will be able to discuss opinion, perspective and acceptance with partners and the whole class. Students will be able to write about opinion, perspective and acceptance.

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will learn about individual (and group) opinion and perspective and about how people accept different opinions and perspectives. Students will engage in whole-class and partner discussion as well as written activities to explore these concepts.

Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Tuning In

Instructional Strategies: - Whole group discussion about the big picture topic - Brainstorming - Partner discussions - Journaling - Use a current event to link the topic to everyday life

Illinois Learning Standards Addressed:

2.B.2c Relate literary works and their characters, settings and plots to current and historical events, people and perspectives. 3.A.2 Write paragraphs that include a variety of sentence types; appropriate use of the eight parts of speech; and accurate spelling, capitalization and punctuation. 3.B.2a Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies (e.g., mapping, outlining, drafting). 4.A.2a Demonstrate understanding of the listening process (e.g., sender, receiver, message) by summarizing and paraphrasing spoken messages orally and in writing in formal and informal situations. 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions. 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan. 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, websites, CD/ROMs). 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 15.B.2c Explain that when a choice is made, something else is given up. 18.B.2a Describe interactions of individuals, groups and institutions in situations drawn from the local community (e.g., local response to state and national reforms).

Materials and Resources: - My Side of the Story: Snow White and The Queen - Paper - Pencil - Large paper (poster) - Markers - Vocabulary journals - journals

Procedure:

Opening: 1. Read My Side of the Story: Snow White and The Queen. “I’m going to start by reading aloud part of a story to you. It may seem somewhat silly at first, but just think about how the story is written. Who is telling the story? Who are the main characters? Are they telling the same story or a different story?” 2. Ask students what they noticed about the two different stories. Encourage them to think about opinion and perspective. “Now that we’ve read the book, what did you notice about it? Why does this book have two stories? Are the stories similar? Are they told by the same person? What are the differences? Why do you think the stories are slightly different?” 3. Prompt students to use the words opinion and perspective. “The Queen and Snow White have different perspectives about what happened in the story. Everyone has different ideas or thoughts about how things happen to them and in the world. For example, maybe your best friend isn’t talking to you and you think it’s because you did something wrong. That’s what the story is from your perspective- through your eyes. But from your best friend’s perspective- through his eyes- maybe your best friend isn’t talking to you because he thinks you’re mad at him! So, this story was told from two perspectives- through two different sets of eyes- the Queen’s and Snow White’s.” Implementation: 4. Discuss opinion and perspective with the whole class. Create class or kid- friendly definitions of opinion and perspective. Students will write these in their vocabulary journals and the teacher will post the definitions in the classroom. From dictionary.com: i. Perspective- a way of regarding situations or topics etc. ii. Opinion- a belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge Kid-friendly: iii. Perspective- the way someone sees events, ideas, people through their own eyes; point of view iv. Opinion- something that someone believes that is not necessarily based on fact; is often affected by a person’s perspective 5. Discuss acceptance. Create a class or kid-friendly definition of acceptance. Students will write these in their vocabulary journals and the teacher will post the definitions in the classroom. “Now that we’ve talked about perspective and opinion we know that everyone has different perspectives and opinions. We all go through different experiences in life so we have different thoughts and ideas and points of view about everything! We’ve talked about this before at the beginning of the year when we discussed how we wanted our classroom community to function. Since we’re all so different, how can we all live together without disrespecting each other’s opinions? Just because someone is different doesn’t mean we can’t like them or that they can’t be a part of our community. After all, everyone in our class is different and we’re all a part of the same community. We’ve learned to accept our differences. Not just our apparent, visual differences like our skin, hair, or eye color- but also our invisible differences- like our thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. What is acceptance? (Give students time to respond.)

6. Prompt students to talk with the person next to them about acceptance. Now, I’d like you to turn to your partner and come up with some ideas for what acceptance of opinion and perspective would look like and/or sound like. What happens when someone accepts your opinion or perspective even if they disagree with you? How do you feel? Why is it important to accept different people and their opinions and perspectives?” 7. Share student ideas as a whole class. Create a class list of what acceptance looks like, feels like, and sounds like and why it is important. Post list in room.

Closing: 8. Introduce need for understanding and accepting different opinions and perspectives. “We have our guidelines now for the discussions we’ll be having in the next few weeks and for the rest of the year. We’re going to talk about some difficult and controversial topics and it’s important to always respect and accept everyone’s opinions and perspectives even if we don’t agree. I’m going to post our class list and definitions up in the room to help remind us throughout the next few weeks.”

Assessment: The teacher will check students’ vocabulary journals to make sure they wrote down the definitions of opinion, perspective, and acceptance. The teacher will prompt students to think about their own perspectives and write a corresponding journal entry. Students will demonstrate knowledge of opinion, perspective and acceptance through their entry about their own personal experiences and consequential perspectives and opinions. The teacher will check students’ understanding of acceptance through their written response about a time when their opinions/perspectives were and/or were not accepted by someone else.

Extensions: Students may share their opinions, perspectives and experiences with the class through whole-class or small group discussions. The teacher may provide examples of certain types of perspectives and opinions and group students according to this. The students will have the opportunity to discuss their experiences and perspectives. Then, the teacher may prompt students who have different perspectives to share why they think and feel a certain way.

Adaptations: The teacher may group or partner students based on their individual needs and abilities. Also, the teacher may modify the writing assignments for students who may need to use computers or may need to write less. For students who speak different languages, the teacher may provide scaffolding for the English language by providing corresponding vocabulary words in the students’ language(s).

Note: Throughout the unit, many of the adaptations and accommodations are the same or similar. However, the nature of this unit provides teachers with the opportunity to exemplify the importance of understanding why people may need accommodations. Students come from a variety of different backgrounds and abilities just like all people in the world. Some of these lessons (e.g. Helen Keller) lend themselves to discussion about adaptations and even provide students with the opportunity to explore what it is like to have a disability or need an accommodation. Lesson 2- Influential People

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate Time: 50 minutes

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students already know how to behave appropriately during whole-class and partner discussion. They are familiar with journal writing.

Objectives: - Students will be able to define influence. - Students will be able to identify a variety of influential people. - Students will be able to identify some reasons why and how people become influential. - Students will be able to identify qualities of influential people. - Students will be able to brainstorm a list of past and current influential people. - Students will be able to identify people who have influenced them individually, as a class, as local community, as a state, as a country, and as members of the world community.

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students explore the concept of influential people. They have the opportunity to define the qualities that they believe influential people have while also brainstorming lists of influential people they know at personal and global levels. Overall, students will develop an initial understanding of what it means to be an influential person and while reviewing examples of influential people.

Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Tuning In

Instructional Strategies: - Whole group discussion about the big picture topic - Brainstorming - Partner discussions - Journaling - Use a current event to link the topic to everyday life

Illinois Learning Standards Addressed:

3.A.2 Write paragraphs that include a variety of sentence types; appropriate use of the eight parts of speech; and accurate spelling, capitalization and punctuation. 3.B.2a Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies (e.g., mapping, outlining, drafting). 4.A.2a Demonstrate understanding of the listening process (e.g., sender, receiver, message) by summarizing and paraphrasing spoken messages orally and in writing in formal and informal situations. 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions. 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan. 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, websites, CD/ROMs). 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 18.B.2a Describe interactions of individuals, groups and institutions in situations drawn from the local community (e.g., local response to state and national reforms).

Materials and Resources: - Paper - Pencil - Chalk/white board - Chalk/dry erase markers - Large paper (poster) - Markers - Vocabulary journals - journals

Procedure:

Opening: 1. The teacher will briefly tell students about someone who has influenced them without using the word ‘influence.’ (e.g. The teacher may choose to talk about his/her parents, a teacher, etc.) “Now that I’ve told you all about this person, why do you think I mentioned them? (Give students time to respond. Possible answers: This person is/was important to you. They made you who you are now. They influenced you, etc). This person was influenced my life a lot. They were important and helped me become who I am now. Because of my experiences with this person, I have a specific perspective and opinions. This is someone who I’ll call an influential person. Please raise your hand if there are any influential people in your life. (Let students respond.)”

Implementation: 2. Prompt students to think about influential people in their lives or that they see in the world. Students will then briefly write their thoughts in their journal. 3. Ask students to share their responses. If students have influential people that affect the whole world, use these people as examples to extend the discussion. (Otherwise, encourage students to think on a more global level about influential people.) Brainstorm a list of people who influence the whole world. “Influential people can be people who affect us individually like our moms and dads. They can be people who affect our school like the principal or even your teacher. They can be people who affect the whole town or the whole state like the mayor or the governor. Can influential people affect the whole world, too? Let’s brainstorm a list together of influential people who affect the whole world.” 4. Prompt students to think about why and how people influence the world. Discuss the qualities influential people have. (Some of these may be negative and/or positive.) “How do people influence the world? What do they do? How do they do it? What qualities do most influential people have? Are they nice? Are they good speakers? Do they have a lot of power or money? What do they look like?”

Closing:

5. Encourage students to think about the positives and negatives of influential people. Some people have positive influences and others have negative influences. “Was there ever a time when an influential person had a negative affect on you? When? What happened? Why was it negative and not positive? How does that experience affect your perspective and your opinions?” 6. Assign homework (or in class assignment). “Tonight, I’d like you to write about one person who affected you or influenced you in a positive way and about one person who influenced you in a negative way. Think about why your experiences with them were positive or negative. What did they do? How did they influence you? Did you experience with them affect your perspective and/or opinions? What qualities did they have that made them influential?”

Assessment: The teacher will informally assess the students based on their contribution to the whole-class discussion. The teacher will monitor student involvement. Formally, the teacher will evaluate the students’ journal responses about influential people checking for understanding of the concept of influential people and for personal connections to the big idea.

Extensions: Students may complete a small project and/or writing assignment about an influential person in their life. They may interview/research the person and then briefly present on the person. The class may invite influential people into the classroom (principal, mayor, etc) and interview them about what it is like to have such a big influence on so many people. The person may give students tips on how to become influential.

Note: During this lesson, students identify influential people. Depending on the classroom and the selected influential people, the teacher may choose to utilize the class list of influential people as those the class studies during the unit. However, this unit comes with a variety of pre-selected influential people and corresponding lesson plans. The teacher may choose to utilize these instead. Lesson 3- Perspectives on Influential People: Tuning In

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate Time: 50 minutes

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students already know how to behave appropriately during whole-class and partner discussion. They are familiar with journal writing. Students know the concepts of perspectives, opinions, acceptance and influential people.

Objectives: - Students will be able to identify people who have influenced them individually, as a class, as local community, as a state, as a country, and as members of the world community. - Students will be able to identify people who are considered to have been both positive and negative influences on the world. - Students will be able to explain that perspective affects the way people view influential people.

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will begin to explore their own perspectives about influential people. They will have the opportunity to question their perspectives as well as differing perspectives. Through class discussion and writing assignments, students will begin to clarify their opinions and how their perspectives affect the way they view influential people.

Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Tuning In

Instructional Strategies: - Whole group discussion about the big picture topic - Brainstorming - Partner discussions - Journaling - Use a current event to link the topic to everyday life

Illinois Learning Standards Addressed:

3.A.2 Write paragraphs that include a variety of sentence types; appropriate use of the eight parts of speech; and accurate spelling, capitalization and punctuation. 3.B.2a Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies (e.g., mapping, outlining, drafting). 4.A.2a Demonstrate understanding of the listening process (e.g., sender, receiver, message) by summarizing and paraphrasing spoken messages orally and in writing in formal and informal situations. 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions. 5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan. 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, websites, CD/ROMs). 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 15.B.2c Explain that when a choice is made, something else is given up. 18.B.2a Describe interactions of individuals, groups and institutions in situations drawn from the local community (e.g., local response to state and national reforms).

Targeted Integrating Socially Stage of Inquiry: Tuning In

Instructional Strategies: - Whole group discussion about the big picture topic - Brainstorming - Partner discussions - Journaling - Use a current event to link the topic to everyday life

Materials and Resources: - Paper - Pencil - Chalk/white board - Chalk/dry erase markers - Vocabulary journals - journals

Procedure:

Opening: 1. Review the concepts of perspective, opinions, acceptance, and influential people. The teacher will prompt students to share their homework (class work) from the previous night. “Yesterday, I asked you to write about a time when someone influenced you in a positive way and about a time when someone influenced you in a negative way. From your writing, we see that sometimes, influential people are not always good; they do not always influence us in good or positive ways. What are some ways that influential people could affect us in negative ways? (Allow students time to respond.)” Implementation: 2. Discuss how influential people have positive and negative affects on the world. Encourage students to think about this at a global level. “Just like we talked about yesterday, some people affect just us or just a few people. Some influential people affect the entire world. Can you think of any people who may have had a negative affect on the world? (Allow students to respond and write names down on board.) Why do you think these people had a negative affect? (Begin creating a concept map on the board with this information.) 3. Prompt students to think about the people they think had a negative affect from a different perspective. Discuss some people they think had positive affects and continue a discussion from a different perspective. “We’ve written down a few people who we think may have been negative influences. Do you think there could be some people in the world who believe they had positive influences? After all, these people were actually influential and in some ways successful so some people must have been supporting them. (Allow students to respond. Continue concept map.) Why do you think some people might think that these influential people made positive affects? (Allow student response. Encourage students to refer to perspectives and opinions.) The past few days we’ve talked about perspectives and opinions. People have different experiences in life and are influenced by different people and ideas. So, people have different points of view about influential people. Some people may think a person had a positive affect on the world while another person may think that same influential person had a negative affect. 4. Discuss perspectives of influential people. Introduce strategies for ‘Tuning In’ about influential people and perspectives on influential people. With partners, students will brainstorm questions to ask in relation to influential people. Discuss questions as a whole class. “Today, we’re going to talk about ways we can explore and research influential people to figure out how and why they were influential. More importantly, though, we’re going to talk about ways to explore how and why some people around the world believe that a certain influential person was good and why some people believe the influential person was bad. What’s the first step we do when we want to learn about something new? (Allow students to respond.) That’s right. We ask questions about what we want to learn. We’re going to ‘tune in’ to our thoughts and questions and other people’s thoughts and questions about influential people. Turn to your partner and brainstorm a list of questions you need to or want to ask in order to learn about influential people and other people’s perspectives on those influential people. Please share some of the questions with the class. 5. Briefly discuss strategies for finding answers to these questions. “Over the next few weeks, we’re going to talk about lots of different ways we can go about learning about influential people. All of the strategies we talk about, though, you can use whenever you are interested in learning about something. As you finish elementary school, middle school, high school and for the rest of your life, you can use these strategies to conduct research and to figure out answers to your questions about the world, about people- everything! The first step, we’re learning how to do today- we’re learning to ‘tune in’ and get started on answering our questions. What are some ways you think we can figure out what we actually want to learn? (Allow student response.) We can talk about the issues. If we’re interested in learning about something, the first thing we need to do is figure out what we already know about it. We need to talk with other people, like our classmates, to get a good idea about what we want to learn about. We want to think about our own experience- our own perspectives- so that way we know what we’re thinking and feeling about the topic before we learn about it. So, in this case, we’re going to learn about influential people. It’s important that we know our own perspectives and opinions about these influential people before we actually learn about them. That way, we know if we think they were good or bad influences. Understanding our own perspectives helps us so we can understand other people’s perspectives, too. So, every time we learn about a new person, we’ll journal about our perspectives about the person before we actually talk about the influential person. We’ll write about what we think we already know about the person- we’ll ‘tune in’ before we do anything else.”

Closing: 6. Assign homework and briefly introduce the unit strategies and influential people. “So, tonight, for homework, it will be your job to write about your perspectives and thoughts about the influential person we’re learning about- Helen Keller. Most of you have learned about her before in school so you may already know a lot about her. Tonight, write about what you think you already know about Keller. Do you think she was a positive or negative affect on the world? Why do you think so? What experiences have you had that make you feel like Keller was a positive or negative influence? What have people, like your teachers, parents, or peers, told you about Keller that make you feel the way you feel?” 7. Introduce strategies and following lessons. “Tomorrow, we’ll talk about how we ‘tuned in’ to Keller. We’ll also learn about another strategy- ‘preparing to find out.’ We’ll be asking questions and learning about different perspectives of Keller. Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll continue learning seven strategies to study influential people. We’ll be using these strategies to learn about Columbus, Nelson Mandela, Adolf Hitler, Ruby Bridges, Helen Keller, Abigail Adams, and Gandhi. It’s important that you really focus on these strategies during these next few weeks so that you can do well on your work but also because you’ll use these strategies for the rest of your life!”

Assessment: The teacher will informally assess the students based on their contribution to the whole-class discussion. The teacher will monitor student involvement. The teacher will formally assess students’ initial understanding of perspectives on influential people by evaluating their written response about Columbus.

Extensions: Students will write journal entries about what they think they know about each influential person the night before the lesson on the influential person. Students will also write about their perspectives about that person, answering similar questions as the Keller assignment. (E.g. The night before the students learn about Hitler, they will write about their perspectives on Hitler.) The teacher may also prompt students to share their perspectives with a partner or small group. Students may have to write based on a different perspective, too. For example, the teacher may prompt students to write from a Native American person’s point of view. Note: This is applicable for the entire unit.

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate time: two-70 minute class periods

Prerequisite knowledge: Students may have background knowledge about socialism and communism. Students may also have heard about Helen Keller and some of her triumphs as a person who was deaf and blind.

Student Objectives:

 Students will be able to formulate questions about Helen Keller using a KWL chart.  Students will be able to write down the information they learned about Helen Keller using a KWL chart.  Students will conduct research about the various issues Helen Keller stood for.  Students will be able to react in writing to what they found out about Helen Keller.

Lesson Overview: Our lesson on Helen Keller helps students gain a better understanding of the disabilities Helen lived with. During the lesson on Helen Keller students will have the opportunity to learn more about different viewpoints and causes she stood up for (i.e. Socialism, equal rights) through their research using multiple resources. Students will also get the opportunity to watch video clips of Helen learning how to speak and making political speeches around the world. Through this lesson we hope to give students a diverse view of Helen Keller as a person and advocate for peace and justice.

Inquiry Stage: Preparing to find out

Instructional Strategies: - KWL chart - Compile resources of many types and perspectives

Standards Addressed:

 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, websites, CD/ROMs).  5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry or research

 14.C.2 Describe and evaluate why rights and responsibilities are important to the individual, family, community, workplace, state and nation (e.g., voting, protection under the law).

 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy.

Materials and Resources:

Kent, Deborah. Helen Keller: Author and Advocate for the Disabled. Chanhassen: The Child's World, 2004.

Kudlinski, Kathleen. Helen Keller: A Light for the Blind. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1989.

Lawlor, Laurie. Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit. Washington D.C.: Laurie Lawlor, 2001.

Lynch, Emma. Lives and Times: Helen Keller. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2005.

McLeese, Don. Helen Keller: Discover the Life of an American Legend. Vero Beach: Rourke Publishing LLC, 2003.

Zonderman, Jon. Helen Keller & Anne Sullivan: Working Miracles Together. Woodbridge: Blackbirch Press, 1994.

Video for lesson one can also be found at this website.

"Helen Keller Kids Museum Online." Helen Keller Kids Museum. 2003. American Foundation for the Blind. 07 Dec. 2005 .

Procedures Day One:

Opening of lesson/Motivation:

Imagine that you couldn't see these words or hear them spoken. But you could still talk, write, read, and make friends. In fact, you went to college, wrote nearly a dozen books, traveled all over the world, met 12 U.S. presidents, and lived to be 87. Well, there was such a person, and she was born over a hundred years ago! Do you have any idea about who this person may be? Allow students to make guesses before introducing Helen Keller.

Implementation: Make a KWL chart with the students. What have they heard about Helen Keller? What did she stand for? What do they want to learn about her? Create a KWL chart for the class and have students make individual charts about their own understanding and questions about Helen Keller. Next read Ch.1-3 from Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit by Laurie Lawlor.

Closing:

Students will get into groups of two. One student will be blindfolded while the other student will get the opportunity to lead them to different destinations within the classroom without colliding with other students. Once every student gets an opportunity to be blindfolded discuss the difficulties that the blindfolded students had during their walk. How was communication important? Show students a video clip from the website: http://www.afb.org/braillebug/hkgallery.asp?tpid=3. This video clip shows Anne Sullivan (Helen’s teacher) explaining how Helen learned to talk.

Journal:

Having a brief experience with being blinded, students have a small understanding of how a person who is blind functions. Can they imagine how it must feel to be both deaf and blind? Discuss in your journal the obstacles that Helen faced and what you learned from the chapters about her childhood. Allow students time to contribute what they have learned to the KWL chart.

Procedures Day Two:

Opening of lesson/Motivation:

Today the students are researchers. They are going to use the books in our classroom library and the internet sources to find information about Helen Keller and what she thought was important.

Implementation:

Students will be in groups of 2-3. Students will be given time to research about Helen Keller and report back to the group about what they discovered. What did Helen Keller believe was important? What causes did she fight for? What does her foundation do? How has the country’s view of people with disabilities changed because of Helen Keller? What was the view of people with disabilities before Helen Keller? Have students look at the “W” section of their KWL charts and try to search for answers to their questions. Read Ch. 9-10 in Helen Keller: Rebellious Spirit.

Closing:

After students have ample time to research, allow the students to present their findings to the rest of the class. During this time students may bring up Helen’s more controversial beliefs. What were her reasons for feeling so strongly about world peace, and equal rights? Finish adding the information that the class learned on the class KWL chart and their individual KWL charts.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their information displayed in their KWL charts, their research, and their participation during discussion about issues/topics Helen Keller found important. Students will also be assessed based on their listening skills while the teacher reads aloud to them.

Extensions: If a student in the classroom already has a disability have the rest of the class try to function with their disability. For example, if you have a student who is in a wheelchair, set up an activity for the whole class to experience the physical struggles a person may encounter with a wheelchair. This activity is to promote empathy among the students in the classroom to people who are different than them, and a sense of respect for the struggles that they face every day.

Accommodations/adaptations: Many of our activities in this lesson revolve around classroom discussion. If a student struggles with verbalizing his/her thoughts he/she can create a journal instead during discussion. He/she can write down his/her ideas during the discussion. This way they will not feel pressured to answer questions and reflect on the material verbally in front of the class, but are still expected to reflect and participate in the lesson. Lesson 5- Nelson Mandela: Stamp Making/Finding Out

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate Time: three- 40 minute class periods

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students may be able to locate South Africa on a map. Students may have heard of Nelson Mandela and may know who he is.

Student Objectives:

 Students will construct questions about Nelson Mandela and the conflict in South Africa. Students will use a variety of research tools to find answers to their questions.  Students will create a series of postage stamps illustrating Nelson Mandela, his life story, struggles, and achievements.  Students will present their research and postage stamps to the class.

Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to explore and research the life and times of Nelson Mandela. Through the use of stamp making and artwork, students will create a timeline of Mandela’s life. They will utilize a variety of resources to investigate his life and the varying perspectives about his influence on the world.

Inquiry Stage: Finding Out

Instructional Strategies: - Collecting information to create a timeline (in stamp form) - Researching specific topics using sources provided by the teacher

Standards Addressed:

 1.B.2a Establish purposes for reading; survey materials; ask questions; make predictions; connect, clarify and extend ideas.  1.C.2a Use information to form and refine questions and predictions.  4.B.2a Present oral reports to an audience using correct language and nonverbal expressions for the intended purpose and message within a suggested organizational format.  4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions.  5.A.2a Formulate questions and construct a basic research plan.  5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry or research.  14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 17.D.2a Describe how physical characteristics of places influence people’s perceptions and their roles in the world over time.

Materials and Resources:

White paper Specialty scissors to cut stamps’ edges Colored pencils, markers Battersby, John. Interview with Nelson Mandela. 10 Feb. 2000. Christian Science Monitor. 8 Dec. 2005. .

Brink, Andre. Leaders of the Century: Nelson Mandela. 13 Apr. 20005. TIME Magazine. 8 Decc 2005 .

Finlayson, Reggie. Nelson Mandela. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 2003.

Green, Robert. Nelson Mandela: Activist for Equality. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World, 2003.

Katz, Bobbi. Meet Nelson Mandela, A Champion of Freedom. New York, NY: Random House, Inc., 1995.

The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela. May 1999. WGBH Educational Foundation. 8 Dec. 2005 .

McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela. New York, NY: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2002.

McKown, Robin. Crisis in South Africa. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1972.

Nelson Mandela. 8 Dec. 2005. African National Congress. 8 Dec. 2005 .

Roberts, Jack L. Nelson Mandela: Determined to be Free. Brookfield, Connecticut: The Millbrook Press, Inc., 1995.

Procedures Day 1:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Ask students if they’ve heard of Nelson Mandela. Ask students if they can locate South Africa on a map. List what students know on the board. Read the book Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela through the seventh page of text: “…slowly there grew in him a desire to change them.” (Pages are not numbered.) Ask students what they think will happen next.

Implementation: Students should take this time to formulate 3-5 questions about what might happen next. After these questions have been approved by the teacher students should plan a research strategy to find the answers to their questions. While conducting research students may use a variety of sources: trade books, picture books, teacher-approved websites, and newspaper articles. After implementing their research strategy students may find that their strategy needs to be refined. Monitor students progress to determine if this lesson should continue to a second or third class period. Students should write their answers in full sentences to be handed in to the instructor.

Procedures Day 2:

Implementation: Students will continue research if necessary. When research is complete students should begin designing their postage stamps commemorating the life of Nelson Mandela. If the instructor chooses, students could complete a series of twelve stamps or the class could divide up to design specific phases of Mandela’s life to create a more comprehensive set illustrating a Mandela biography in stamps.

Procedures Day 3:

Implementation: Students may use this day to finish their postage stamp projects.

Summary and/or Closing:

When students finish illustrating their stamps they may present their research questions, what they found out, and their postage stamps to the class. After presentations are complete students may hang their postage stamps on a special wall where the rest of the class or the rest of the school can view them. The lesson should close with the interesting things that students found out and a discussion to push students’ understanding of why some people may have had different perspectives than Mandela. Ask students if they can make any connections to any other influential people that they know of. Accomodations for students with special needs:

Students who are not reading at grade level may choose to research from a variety of resources that fit to their reading level. Students who cannot write may type their questions and answers on a word processor. Students who have an IEP for learning disabilities may answer a more appropriate amount of questions if necessary.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed based on their participation in and completeness of their research projects. Students’ postage stamps will be assessed based on their neatness, effort expended to create them, and presentation of the stamps and research that went into their creation. Students should be expected to participate in the final discussion relating to what they learned in the Mandela section of the unit. Lesson 6- Christopher Columbus: Sorting Out

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate Time: three- 40 minute class periods

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students may have some background knowledge of Christopher Columbus and Columbus Day.

Student Objectives:

 Students will use a double-entry journal to compare the different perspectives of Christopher Columbus and Indigenous American peoples.  Students will create a map illustrating Columbus’ understanding of world geography.

Lesson Overview: Students will explore the varying perspectives about Columbus in this lesson. The students will focus on the Columbus’ view about his ‘discovery’ and also on the perspectives of the Indigenous American peoples that he influenced. Through journal writing and map-making, students will being sorting out the various perspectives that people hold about Columbus.

Inquiry Stage: Sorting Out

Instructional Strategies: - Making maps - Double entry journals

Standards Addressed:

 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present.  17.D.2a Describe how physical characteristics of places influence people’s perceptions and their roles in the world over time.

Materials and Resources:

 Displayable version (screen or overhead) of world map  Xerox copied versions of pages read from the following texts:  Alter, Judy. Our People: Christopher Columbus. Chanhassen, MN: The Child’s World, 2003, pp 1-9.  Morganelli, Adrianna. Christopher Columbus: Sailing to a New World. New York, NY: Crabtree Publishing Company, 2005, pp 22-25.

Procedures Day 1:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Introduce the idea of Columbus Day. Ask students why they get that day off of school. Student response will likely be that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America. Challenge students’ notions of discover. Ask students if you can discover a land when people already live there. Provide students with a concrete example “If I was walking to the Meadowbrook Park and on my way there I found a new park where people were playing, did I “discover” it? Ask students if they think anyone lived on the North American continent when Columbus arrived. Introduce the book Our People: Christopher Columbus. Before reading tell students that as they listen to the text they should think about the good things that Christopher Columbus did.

Implementation: Begin reading text (Alter). Students should read along in their copied versions of the text. Stop on page 9 to discuss the phrase “dark-skinned people came to greet him.” If this was at the park, who discovered the land first? Read: “Columbus called them ‘Indians’”(9). Why did he call them “Indians”? Was this right? Read: “…and he claimed their land for Spain” (9). Ask students to compare instructor’s park example with what Columbus did. Was that fair?

Map Making Give students a map of the world to color and label. Students should use the displayable (screen or overhead) map as a reference. Students should draw in the way that Columbus should have gone and the way that he really went.

Procedures Day 2:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Students to take out their maps to activate their background knowledge. Instruct students to turn to a partner and tell them what they learned the day before in two minutes. After two minutes bring the class together to discuss the good things that Christopher Columbus did. Put student responses in a T-chart. Introduce Christopher Columbus: Sailing to a New World by Morganelli. Instruct students to listen to why the Indigenous Americans would be mad at Christopher Columbus. Implementation: Begin reading Morganelli (pp 22-25). Students should follow along in their copied versions of the text. Encourage students to underline examples of why the Indigenous Americans might be mad at Christopher Columbus.

Double-Entry Journals After the reading activity, instruct students to look back in their two texts and find examples of why either group would think that they were right, considering the different perspectives of both Columbus and the Indigenous Americans.

Procedures Day 3:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Today we’re going to have a debate! Students must first complete their double-entry journals. Time allotted for completion of double-entry journals will depend on student progress.

Procedures: Divide class into halves. Explain the expectations for the activity. Possible expectations may include: one speaker at a time, respecting fellow classmates, participation, and safe behavior. The instructor may establish rules for the debate (such as everyone must talk once before someone can speak a second time or whether or not team collaboration is allowed) depending on the dynamics of the class Allow each side to make a statement. Each team should take a turn delivering defensive or offensive statements.

Summary and/or Closing: Allow the debate to go on until time or conversation runs out. Regroup students to summarize what was said during the debate and to highlight the arguments of either side. If necessary reiterate that both sides thought that they were in the right and for different reasons.

Assessment: Students will be assessed based on the neatness and labeling of the map making structuring sheets, the completion and accuracy of the double-entry journals, and their participation in the debate. Final essays may be assigned to assess students’ understanding of conflicting perspectives. Lesson 7- Ruby Bridges: Going Further

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate time: three- 60 minute class periods

Prerequisite knowledge: Students may have background knowledge about issues such as: racism, prejudice, stereotypes. Students may have heard of Ruby Bridges.

Student Objectives:

 Students will discuss multiple perspectives of the community that Ruby lived.

 Students will formulate and ask questions regarding the time period and issues that Ruby Bridges grew up in.

 Students will write letters to The Ruby Bridges Foundation discussing their ideas about integration and how their school is different today than when Ruby went to school.

Lesson Overview: During this lesson students get a wide range of information from multiple sources (interviews, books, internet) about integration and the story of Ruby Bridges. Students have the opportunity to discuss different viewpoints of integration in a group setting. They interview persons who were alive and remember the beginning stages of integration in the 1960s. The lesson incorporates comparing our school today to the way the school setting was in the 1960s. They also have the opportunity to write a letter to The Ruby Bridges Foundation.

Inquiry Stage: Going further

Instructional Strategies: - Inviting guest speakers - Interviewing - Letter writing - Incorporating current events

Standards Addressed:

 1.C.2a Use information to form and refine questions and predictions.  4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings

 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions.

 16.A.2a Read historical stories and determine events which influenced their writing.

 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources.

 18.B.2a Describe interactions of individuals, groups and institutions in situations drawn from the local community (e.g., local response to state and national reforms

Materials and Resources:

Interview: "A Class of One." Online NewsHour: A Conversation with Ruby Bridges Hall -- February 18, 1997. Fe 1997. PBS. 07 Dec. 2005 .

Bridges, Ruby. Through My Eyes. New York: Scholastic Press., 1999.

Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby Bridges. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1995.

Procedures Day One:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation:

Ask students if they have ever felt very important, that they could be a hero? Introduce Ruby Bridges, a hero of the integration movement of the 1960s by reading The Story of Ruby Bridges by, Robert Coles.

Implementation: Ask the students to discuss in small groups after reading the book if they believe that Ruby Bridges was a hero. Why? Why not? How do you think it would feel to have five state marshals escort you into your classroom because a mob of angry people wanted you to leave, in some cases wanted you to die? Read excerpts from the interview given to Ruby in 1997.

Closing: Introduce the story Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges to the students. Read pages 1-20 and allow the students to discuss some of the injustices that they may see. Ask them questions about the different perspectives of integration and why people felt so strongly.

Journal entry: Students will write in their journals about how it must have felt to cross a line of people screaming at you in order to attend school. Ask some difficult questions that students can think about while they write: What might have been some reasons that people were yelling at her? These reasons may not be right, but it is important to see through other people’s perspectives. If you were able to talk to Ruby Bridges or a person who grew up during the same time period what questions would you ask them?

Procedures Day Two:

Opening of the Lesson/Motivation: Today we are going to have a guest speaker! *Invite someone to speak to the students who was young when Ruby Bridges was going to school, someone who remembers what Ruby went through to go to school. For example, the teacher can invite a relative (grandparent or parent) of a child who was around Ruby’s age or older in the 1960s. Have the speaker bring the perspective of a person who has seen society change throughout their life. *The teacher could even have two speakers come in to talk to the students so that they have more than one perspective of the events.

Implementation: The guest speaker can talk about what school was like when they were growing up. What were the main differences (focus on race relations, prejudice, and segregation among other topics)? Did you see conflicts in your communities over integration? Students will get the opportunity to ask questions the formulated from lesson one of the guests. Invite one of the guests to read pages 21-40 from Through My Eyes.

Closing: What are the main differences you heard between the way it is now in our school and the way it was almost fifty years ago? As a class make a T-Chart highlighting the ways the schools are different and how Ruby Bridges helped make the change. Encourage the students to reflect upon how a student as young as 6 years old could be so brave.

Procedures Day Three:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Read to students the interview given to Ruby Bridges in February 1997. Depending on the group this can be done as a whole group or the class can be broken down into small groups where students read the interview aloud.

Implementation: Have a class discussion about any new information they learned about Ruby Bridges. Based on what we read on the first day, our guest speakers, and the interview we read, what do we know about the community that Ruby lived in? Were there people willing to help Ruby and support her? How did they show their support? How would our schools be today if individuals like Ruby were too afraid to make an effort to make a change? Did Ruby know that she was making a historical change? Read quote from Ruby, “I guess I knew I was the Ruby who had to do it –go into that school and stay there, no matter what those people said, standing outside.” How does her attitude make you feel about making a change in your community? Is there anything that you want to change about your life and about the world around you?

Closing: Finish reading Through My Eyes (pages 41-61). Write a letter to Ruby Bridges Foundation P.O. Box 127 Winnetka, IL 60093. This letter can include anything that the students have learned within the last three lessons. Focus on what students believe that they can now do after learning about the story of Ruby Bridges and the obstacles in her life she overcame.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed based on the quality of their journal entries, the thoughtful questions for the interviewees, neatness and quality of letter written to Ruby, and their participation during group activities/discussion. Extension activities:

Visit PBS website that has showcases the story of the Little Rock 9, a group of black students who were the first to attend an integrated high school. http://pbskids.org/wayback/civilrights/features_school.html

Show video “Civil Rights: The Long Road to Equality” Found at www.unitedstreaming.com This video discusses racism, prejudice, stereotypes, and techniques for breaking down barriers –in students’ own words.

Show the Disney video “Ruby Bridges.” This video brings the pain and difficulty of desegregation to life for students who may have a hard time imagining the times that Ruby Bridges grew up in.

Accommodations/adaptations: This student involves a lot of writing from the students. If a student has difficulties writing their thoughts down, the teacher can provide that student with alternative options. For instance, the student can create their letter to The Ruby Bridges Foundation by dictating their words to the teacher who can write it down for them, can tape record their letter, or type it on the computer. Another accommodation may be for students who struggle reading aloud. During the lesson students take turns reading an interview aloud. If the teacher knows that some students will not be able to read the interview, change the lesson so that the teacher can read the interview aloud to the group. Lesson 8- Adolf Hitler: Making Connections

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate time: two- 70 minute class periods

Prerequisite knowledge: Students will have background knowledge about WWII, Adolf Hitler, and the Holocaust. They will also have had practice conducting interviews and keeping a journal.

Student Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will:  Be able to formulate and research answers to questions concerning Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany  Be able to Explain some of the reasons that Germany, and the world at large, did not oppose Hitler in the beginning of his power.  Be able to make connections between the information they learn about Hitler and their own lives and communities (or relate social issues between the two)  Be able to use a reflective journal to record their thoughts and feelings, as well as questions to use for an interview and the answers that they collect during the interview

Lesson Overview:

This lesson is meant to give students a broader perspective by forcing them to answer “big picture” questions. Though the students have studied WWII before, and know basic facts about Hitler, a bigger question that often goes unanswered is how a man like Hitler was able to come to such great power. In this lesson, the students explore the reasons for this, and use the information gained to relate what happened then to the world today.

Inquiry Step: Making Connections

Instructional Strategies:

-relating read-alouds to their lives -self reflection (journals) -use relatives as a resource -how history impacts our viewpoints today

Standards Addressed: 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, websites, CD/ROMs). 14.C.2 Describe and evaluate why rights and responsibilities are important to the individual, family, community, workplace, state and nation (e.g., voting, protection under the law). 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources.

Materials and Resources:

Lobel, Anita. No Pretty Pictures: A Child of War. Greenwillow: New York, 1998. o This book is the autobiography of Anita Lobel, who was a child during WWII. In the book, she tells about the struggles that she faced daily as a Jewish child during this time in Poland, and later in hiding and various concentration camps. This book is important to include because it is the first-person account of a someone directly impacted in horrible ways by the Holocaust (and therefore Hitler). The book is especially important because it is told by a person who was a similar age to the students when the Holocaust took place, and therefore will be easier for them to make connections with. Nardo, Don. Adolf Hitler. New York: Lucent Books, 2003. o This book is a biography of Hitler’s life. It is used because it gives the story of Hitler’s entire life, from birth to death. The format is fairly easy, and there are at least two pictures on every page, which will make it easier for the students to use. Warren, Andrea. Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps. Harper Collins: New York, 2001. o This is a historical fiction book about a boy imprisoned in a death camp during WWII. Though the information is not non-fiction, this book provides the readers with a character that they can connect with (the focus of the lesson). This book would be best used as short segments of individual reading for the students, or as a teacher read-aloud at the beginning of each lesson. http://www.secondworldwar.co.uk/ahitler.html o This website provides a short biography of Hitler’s life. I chose to use this website as opposed to others because each segment of his life is titled with the subject and date. This makes the website easy to navigate and useful for finding specific information. http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu/holocaust/people/perps.htm o This website is designed for teachers, and provides links to other useful websites, along with many pictures of different parts of Hitler’s life and the Holocaust. The website also provides teachers with information useful in planning and implementing lessons about these difficult topics. Procedures Day One:

Opening of lesson/Motivation: The teacher will read a description of Hitler’s rise to power without including his name. She will describe to the students his heroics during the First World War, and the reasons for the many medals that he won. She will continue to tell them about how he started to pull Germany out of the recession following the stock market crash, and how he had many followers in his county during the first few years of his presidency. She will then discuss with the students why they think that people followed this man’s lead, and became his supporters.

After a brief class discussion about this, she will show the class a series of photographs of the Holocaust and other atrocities committed by Hitler during his reign. After the images have finished, she will ask the students what type of person could be responsible for what they saw. She will ask the students to name qualities of this person, and how he seems different than the man in the first story. After a brief discussion, she will tell the class that both were stories of Adolf Hitler.

Implementation: The teacher will ask the students how they think that people let Hitler do the things that he did. She will engage in a discussion with them about how people thought about Hitler before and then after the war. She will then ask the students if they can think of something in their own lives or their own communities that relates to this. She will have a brief discussion with the students about how people’s perceptions can be wrong, or can change over time. Closing: The teacher will have the students think about how the Holocaust could have happened, and their reactions to finding out that the man described in the first story was Adolf Hitler. She will ask them to write in their journals about their reactions, and whether they might have followed Hitler at the beginning of his power if they had lived during that time period, knowing now how many people saw him. The students will engage in a brief closing discussion about their reactions to what they heard, and whether they were surprised by who the man described was.

Procedures Day Two: Opening of lesson/Motivation: Today the students will read and listen to accounts of people directly affected by the Holocaust. The teacher will begin the class by reading the first chapter of Surviving Hitler to the class. She will tell them that although this book is historical fiction, events like those that take place in the book happened to many people during the Holocaust.

Implementation: The teacher will then partner the students and distribute pictures and primary source documents (from the fcit website listed above). The students will examine each picture or document for three minutes, and then pass it on to the next group. For each picture/document, the student must write a conclusion to the sentence “This makes me think…” in their journal.

Closing: The students will share with their partners what they were thinking throughout the exercise by reading them their sentences. The teacher will then say that interviewing is another way to find out information about a topic from someone who lived during that time. She will tell the students that when they go home, they have to interview someone who lived during WWII, and ask them questions about what they thought at that time about the Holocaust and Adolf Hitler. The students will have the weekend to conduct their interviews and report back to the class. The teacher will give the students suggestions about who to interview and the types of questions that are appropriate. She can write example questions that the students suggest on chart paper for them to copy into their journals.

Procedures Day Three: The students will share what they learned in their interviews with the class. They will each have one minute to report what they found out, and the opinions of the person that they interviewed. After each of the students has presented, the class will have a short discussion about what they learned while interviewing, and the perspectives of people who lived at the time.

Assessment: The students will be assessed based on: o Their ability to participate in class discussions and give input o Their reflections in their journals o The written copy of their interview questions and answers, as well as their presentation in class and the following discussion.

Adaptations: Lesson 9- Influential People Project: Utilizing Inquiry Strategies

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate time: two- 60 minute periods

Prerequisite knowledge: The students have been involved in a Social Studies unit focused on influential people for four weeks. They have been gathering information to obtain a well-rounded and un-biased opinion of these people.

Student Objectives: By the end of the lesson, the students will:  Demonstrate their ability to evaluate resources for valid information by including accurate facts and information in their presentations  Demonstrate their ability to participate in an academic discussion with peers

Lesson Overview: This lesson allows the students to put all of the strategies that they have learned throughout the unit to use. It asks the students to research and form opinions about two influential people in history: Abigail Adams and Gandhi. In this final project, the students will incorporate strategies used in the previous lessons to form opinions and arguments that are supported by careful research that goes beyond their social studies textbooks.

Inquiry Strategies: Students may choose a variety of strategies that they have learned throughout the unit to utilize within their research and project.

Standards Addressed:

Language Arts Standards: 5.A.2b Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, websites, CD/ROMs). 5.B.2a Determine the accuracy, currency and reliability of materials from various sources. 5.C.2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry or research. 4.A.2b Ask and respond to questions related to oral presentations and messages in small and large group settings. 4.B.2a Present oral reports to an audience using correct language and nonverbal expressions for the intended purpose and message within a suggested organizational format. 4.B.2b Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions.

Social Studies Standards: 14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy. 16.A.2a Read historical stories and determine events which influenced their writing. 16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present. 16.A.2c Ask questions and seek answers by collecting and analyzing data from historic documents, images and other literary and non-literary sources. 16.D.2c (US) Describe the influence of key individuals and groups, including Susan B. Anthony/suffrage and Martin Luther King, Jr./civil rights, in the historical eras of Illinois and the United States.

Materials and resources:  Collection of Books and Resources about Abigail Adams and Gandhi o Bober, Natalie S. Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution. New York: Atheneum Press, 1995. o Davis, Kate. Abigail Adams. New York: Blackbirch Press, 2002. o Demi. Gandhi. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2001. o Ferris, Jeri Chase. Remember the Ladies. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2001. o Finkel, Ann Lee. Gandhii: The Truth Can Fight. Canada: Ti-Jean Press, 1997. o Malaspina, Ann. Mahatma Gandhi and India’s Independence. Berkley Heights, New Jersey: Enslow, 2000. o Martin, Christopher. Mohandas Gandhi. Minneapolis: Lerner, 2001. o Rawding, F.W. Gandhi and the Struggle for India’s Independence. Minneapolis: Lerner, 1982. o Richards, Glyn. Gandhi’s Philosophy of Education. New York: Oxford, 2001.  Student journals  Chairs/desks organized in a circle for discussion

Procedures:

Project overview: The students will be put into groups for their final projects. The teacher can group the students to make sure that each group has an overall equal ability level. The groups of students will draw a name and perspective from a bowl. Two of the groups will study and present on Abigail Adams, and two will study and present on Gandhi. One group for each influential person will present as the person’s supporters, and one group as people opposed to the person. The students will be given three days in class to work on the projects with their groups, and will be allowed to use all of the books listed, as well as the internet, encyclopedias, and their history books. They will be given the grading rubric on the first day that they are able to work on the project, and so will be able to refer to it throughout their planning. On the presentation day, the students will be able to give a 5-7 minute presentation on their perspective on the person they studied. After the first two groups have presented, the class will have a ten to fifteen minute discussion about the person, discussing both perspectives. Day One: Opening of Lesson/Motivators: The students will be put into groups and assigned a person to study and the perspective with which they must present. They will be given the rubric, and the project will be explained to them. Implementation: The students will begin work on their projects, using all of the available resources. They will be given half an hour for research. On the first day, along with researching general information about their influential person, the groups will compile a list of all of the people, or groups of people who were either opposed to or in favor of the person they were assigned, depending on their perspective. This list will be turned in to the teacher at the end of the work time for assessment. Summary/Closing: The teacher will collect the lists that the groups have compiled, and regroup the class for a brief discussion about what they have found so far in their research. They will discuss things that surprised them, and things that they learned about the person that they hadn’t known before.

Day Two: Opening of Lesson/Motivators: The students will regroup to begin the second day of research. The teacher will explain that today while they are working, they must keep a list of three things that the opposing viewpoint group might say about the person they are studying, and the rationale they will give the group for what they bring up. In this way, each group will learn both sides of the story for each person studied. Implementation: The groups will again be given thirty minutes to research and complete the day’s assignment. They will again be allowed to use the various resources provided in the classroom. Summary/Closing: The teacher will regroup the class and collect the assignment. The class will have a brief discussion about the importance of looking at and studying people and events from more than one perspective.

Day Three: Opening of Lesson/Motivators: The students will regroup for their last day of work before their presentations. The thirty minutes of work time will be used to finalize what they will present. The teacher will remind the students to review the rubric given to them at the start of the project work to make sure that they are covering everything they need to. Implementation: The students will work in their groups for thirty minutes. They will record everything that they need for their presentation on note cards, and will designate a speaking part for each group member. Each group member must have a part in the presentation. Summary/Closing: The teacher will regroup the students and go over any questions that they have concerning the projects and give last minute reminders of the expectations.

Day Four: The students will make their presentations. The group that is presenting the information in favor of Gandhi will start. The following group will be presenting information from a point of view opposed to Gandhi. Following the two presentations, the class will have a fifteen minute discussion about what was learned, and the different viewpoints that were presented.

Day Five: The rest of the students will make their presentations. The group that is presenting the information in favor of Abigail Adams will start. The following group will be presenting information from a point of view opposed to Abigail Adams. Following the two presentations, the class will have a fifteen minute discussion about what was learned, and the different viewpoints that were presented.

Accommodations: The teacher can assign the groups based on individual needs and strengths. If the classroom is very diverse in ability, the teacher can assign roles to each of the group members (secretary, investigator, reporter, etc.) This allows for each child to do something that he or she is comfortable with and capable of, while still allowing for full class participation.

Assessment: The students will be assessed based on:  Their ability to work well with their assigned groups for the three work days  Their ability to stay on task in order to complete the activity for each day, as well as the complete presentation in the time allotted  Their involvement in the class discussions following the presentations. This includes the student’s ability to listen and follow the presentations in order to be able to discuss the information presented afterwards.  Their final presentations o Clarity of speech o Relevance of information to the topic o Appropriateness of presentation Lesson 10- How to Become an Influential Person: Taking Action

Unit Topic: Perspectives on Influential People

Subject Areas: Social Studies, Language Arts

Grade Level: 5

Approximate Time: two- 40 minute class periods

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students should have background knowledge of various influential people: Christopher Columbus, Nelson Mandela, Adolf Hitler, Helen Keller Ruby Bridges, Abigail Adams, and Mahatma Gandhi. Students should have knowledge about how these people have influenced the world or specific groups of people: negatively and/or positively.

Learning Objectives:  Students will analyze qualities of influential people.  Students will discuss and describe how they can become influential people.

Lesson Overview: In Lesson 8, students will investigate ways to become an influential person. Students will participate in multiple discussions about what qualities influential people have, describe influential people in their lives, and then map out a plan of how they can become influential people. The plan includes what they would want to change, why, and how they will make a change.

Inquiry Step: Taking Action

Instructional Strategies: - Make a plan of action to become an influential person/ make a change - Allow new inquiries to develop from the current inquiries being studied - Investigate students’ current beliefs and challenge those beliefs - Learning to take an active role in society (write letters, protest, etc) - Recognize power of own voice, develop an opinion - Go out into community- apply inquiries to real life, make suggestions for change based on what you have learned

Standards Addressed:  14.D.2 Explain ways that individuals and groups influence and shape public policy.  16.A.2b Compare different stories about a historical figure or event and analyze differences in the portrayals and perspectives they present.

Materials and Resources:  Overhead/ dry erase or chalk board  Paper and pen/pencil (for each student)

Procedures Day 1:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Start the lesson with an activity at the beginning. On the board or overhead projector write the following: “Please take out a piece of paper. Make a list of qualities that an influential person has. Also, thinking about what person(s) represent this quality and how they express it. ” Implementation: 1.) Give students about 5-7 minutes to make a list and jot down notes to help them participate in the discussion. 2.) Have a discussion about qualities of influential people. (Teacher should scaffold the discussion. However, the discussion will vary depending on the class dynamics.) Here are some questions and points t o guide the discussion:  Start the discussion with, “What kind of qualities does an influential person have?”  Make sure to discuss and emphasize that not all influential people have the same/similar qualities.  Discuss how these influential people used these qualities. How did Hitler and Nelson Mandela vary in their abilities to speak well?  Name some influential people of today. How are they influential? 3.) Teacher should write the qualities on the board/overhead that the students bring up. 4.) Have the students write a reflection/journal entry for Day 2:  Name three people that have influenced your live.  List reason why/how they have influenced you.  Compare/contrast one of these people to the influential people studied in class. How similar or different are these two people?

Procedures Day 2:

Opening of Lesson/Motivation: Teacher will share one person that has influenced her life. She will talk about how this person is similar or different than a person studied in class. Implementation: 1.) Students will get into pairs. (Depending on the dynamics of the class, the students/ teacher can choose their partners.) Each student will share one person that has influenced his/her life and compare/contrast it to an influential person studied in class. (5-10 minutes) 2.) Have a whole group discussion about how the students can become influential people. Key questions to address:  How can you become an influential person?  What would you want to change? Why? 3.) Have the students write a reflection/journal entry for tomorrow:  How can you become influential person?  What would you want to change? Why?  How would you make a change? Be detailed in your description. (Teacher can suggest that the students make a step by step plan.)

Summary and/or Closing: “All these people, people we studied in class and people that you all wrote about last night, have been influential. A person doesn’t need to be famous or well known to be influential. You all can be influential people, also. Make a difference.”

Assessment:

 Day 1: Reflection/journal entry- Students will be assessed on the completion of the reflection/journal entry. They will also be assessed on the depth of their analysis of how a person who is influential in their life is similar or different to a person studied in class. The arguments should be clear and coherent.  Day 2: Reflection/journal entry- Students will be assessed on the completion of the entry. They will also be assessed on descriptiveness of how they would make a change.

Adaptations for individual differences: For the journal/reflections, students have the option to present their thoughts in an audio or video form. This choice may be helpful for students that have difficulty writing their ideas down or for students that are more comfortable expressing their ideas in verbally.