• The following are some highlights of a First grade Social Studies Unit Plan titled, "All About Me".

Goals and objectives: Grade 1

Citizenship
GOAL 1:
The learner will exhibit attributes of good citizenship in the classroom and school.

* 1.1 Participate constructively in school and classroom activities.
* 1.2 Participate in democratic decision making in the classroom.
* 1.3 Demonstrate personal responsibility in school activities.
* 1.4 Cooperate with and help others in classroom situations.

Anthropology/Psychology/Sociology
GOAL 2:
The learner will infer that individuals and families are alike and different.

* 2.1 Describe the roles of individuals in the family.
* 2.2 Distinguish similarities and differences among individuals and families.

GOAL 3:
The learner will analyze important social environments.

* 3.3 Describe and demonstrate appropriate behaviors in various environments.
 

History
GOAL 6:
The learner will identify change in different settings.

* 6.1 Describe personal and family changes.
 

Geography
GOAL 8:
The learner will apply basic geographic concepts.

* 8.3 Identify the functions of places in homes and schools.
 
 
 

OVERVIEW:

    In first grade, children build on concepts introduced in the kindergarten year as they learn about children, their families, homes, and schools in a variety of contexts. They gain important perspectives as they compare their own home and school life with that of children in environments and societies different from their own. They continue to develop skills of group participation and become more individually responsible, thus achieving important social studies goals.
    By studying home and school life, children come to an understanding of the university of basic human wants and needs. They learn that family and school rules are established for the common good and are a necessary part of group living. In so doing they begin to develop important understandings about the nature of citizenship.
    Goals in first grade are accomplished at various times in a variety of ways as children grow and learn throughout the year. Progress toward the goals is based on the individuality of each child in the context of the entire first grade program.
The Goal of this unit plan is to teach children about diversity within their surrounding environments. The Book that we focus on, All About Me, deals with a wide range of characteristics distinguishing among families, friends and ourselves.
There is a calendar at the beginning of the unit that describes the different lessons that will be taught. The unit is designed to last for ten days. The lesson being taught or the materials that we will be using is listed under the appropriate day. There are examples of most of the lessons to help the teacher understand exactly what is going on. The bibliography lists all the books that will be used, including audiotapes and so forth.
    There are small assessments such as worksheets following each day, that wrap up the material stated in the books. There is an author-illustrator and a DRTA lesson plan included in this unit.
Most importantly, this unit will help students to be more open-minded and aware of the differences among family, friends, and themselves.
 

Lesson Plan: Time Line

Focus and Review:   Students will focus on the sequencing of events by years since they were born. They will use photos to represent these times, and will use the word processor to type one-sentence captions to accompany the photos.

Goals and Objectives:

Technology Skills

COMPETENCY GOAL 1  The learner will understand important issues of a technology-based society and will exhibit ethical behavior in the use of computer and other technologies.
1.1 Identify uses of technology at home and at school
1.3 Identify physical components of a computer system.

COMPETENCY GOAL 2  The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
2.1 Identify and discuss fundamental computer terms.
2.2 Locate and use letters, numbers, and special keys on a keyboard.
2.3 Identify basic word processing terms.
2.4 Key words and/or sentences using word processing.
2.5 Participate in the creation of a class multimedia sequential/linear story.

COMPETENCY GOAL 3  The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
3.1 Group items by different attributes using manipulatives and/or software. (SS)
3.2 Gather, organize, and display data. (SS)
   Using technology at home and school
   Gathering, organizing, and displaying data
   Using word processing
   Exploring multimedia

Teacher Input: Model our own time line and give explanation of photos and why I chose them as important events in my life.
 Model how to use word processing, and how to divide paper up into five sections so that photos may be pasted on.

Guided Practice: Walk around the room, and aid children in any way possible. Have students show you what photos they will be using, and help them to construct their sentence captions under them.

Independent Practice: Construct final draft of time line, and allow children to peck around on the computer so that they can get familiar with word processing.

Closure/Assessment: Check to see that all captions were word processed and that their timelines are in proper sequence.
Directed Reading Thinking Activity

Story:  The Letter

Pages:  53-64

Reading Level:  1-2C

Prereading:  Look at the picture on page 53.  What do you think Frog and Toad are going to do?  We are going to read this story now.  If you notice the word stop is at the bottom of some of the pages.  You will read to the bottom of that page and then I will ask you some questions about what you have read.  After we are finished with that part you will go on to the next section.   This is called a Directed Reading Thinking Activity.

Stop 1:  (bottom page 53)
1. Why do you think Toad is sad?

Stop 2:  (bottom page 54)
1.  What time of the day is Toad sad?
2.  What does Toad never get?
3. How do you think this makes Frog feel?

Stop 3:    (bottom page 56)
1. Has Toad ever received a letter?
2. Where did Frog go?
3. What do you think Frog is doing with pencil and paper?

Stop 4:  (bottom page 58)
1. What did Frog write on the envelope?
2. Who did Frog give the letter to?
3. Where did Frog go?
4. What did he want Toad to do?

Stop 5:  (bottom page 61)
1. Where do you think the snail is?
2. Why does Frog keep looking out the window?

Stop 6:  (bottom page 63)
1. What did Frog write in the letter?
2. Did Toad like the letter?
3. Where did Frog and Toad wait for the letter?
4. How did they feel while they were waiting?
 

Stop 7:  (bottom page 64)
1. How long did Frog and Toad wait for the letter?
2. How did Toad feel after he got the letter and read it?

Dear Parents:

 We are moving into the friends part of our unit “All About Me”.  The goal is to provide students with the understanding that friends are important.  We will be paying attention to the fact that different does not mean bad.

1. I will be introducing a new reading strategy called Directed Reading Thinking Activity.  We will be reading the book Frog and Toad are Friends by, Arnold Lobel.  We will be reading and focusing heavily on comprehension.
2. We will also be learning a new song “Make New Friends “.  Ask your child to share it with you.

Make new friends,
but keep the old.
One is silver, and the other is gold.
 
 

 Lobel, Arnold.  Frog and Toad are Friends.  New York:  Harper & Row, 1970.
    Frog sends Toad a letter so he won’t be lonely.  Frog feels bad for Toad so he does what any friend would do for
    another friend.

 Reiser, Lynn.  Best Friends Think Alike.  New York:  Greenwillow Books, 1997.
    Two best friends have a brief disagreement, but then decide that playing together is better than having your own way alone.

Kellog, Steven.  Best Friends.  New York:  Dial Books, 1986.
    Two girls learn that it isn’t always easy to be friends.  Through their daydreams they imagine how they want things to
    be.  Reality is pictured just as vividly.

Wild, Margaret.  The Very Best of Friends.  New York:  Harcourt Brace & Company, 1989.
    After the death of his beloved owner, a cat named William wins the heart of his grieving mistress and shows her what a
    good friend a cat can be.

Krupinski, Loretta.  Best Friends.  New York:  Hyperion Books for Children, 1998.
    When a settler’s young daughter learns that soldiers will force the Nez Perce’ off the nearby land, she uses a doll to warn
    her Indian friend of the impending danger.

Anholt, Catherine.  All About You.  New York:  Scholastic, 1995.
    When you wake up in the morning, how do you feel?  Happy tired, sad?  Noisy, quiet, glad?  This book invites very
    young  children to think and talk about themselves and their world.

Ryan, Pam Munoz.  One Hundred is a Family.  New York:  Hyperion Books for Children, 1994.   Groups making up many
    different kinds of “families” introduce thenumbers from one to ten, and then by tens to one hundred.

The Esteem Team (Musical group).  B.E.S.T. Friends.  San Rafeal:  The Esteem Team, 1990.
    Songs for children about friendship, cooperation, and self-esteem.

 Briggs, William J.  Eight Keys To A Better Me.  Gastonia:  Family Traditions, 1985.
    Lists eight of the key traits which could influence children in their character development that will lead to a better
    self-image, better relationship with others and to a better life.