Unit Rationale The target population is students who live in a diverse, suburban neighborhood.

The majority of the students are regular education, with two who have IEP. The unit was prepared after a class trip to the zoo. The students were on the bus driving through their community and were not sure who the helpers are in their community. The students will learn about the different community helpers along with their characteristics. Some teaching strategies include Venn diagram, concept map, and KWL Chart. Unit Goals and Objects Goal Students will be able to distinguish between the different community helpers. Objectives Students will create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast various community helpers. Students will re-enact the characteristics of a community helper using props. Students will design a concept map of each of the community helpers. Lesson 1 Diagnosis Grade 1 Subject: Social Studies Topic: Community Helpers Sequence: 1 of 5 Class: Inclusive 2 special 15 regular Duration: 30-40 minutes Aim Do you know who to go to if you see a crime happening? Standards NYS: Social Studies (Geography) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface. 3.1 Students will locate places and people within the local community. ACEI: 2.4 Social studiesCandidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studiesthe integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areasto promote elementary students abilities to make informed decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world. ACEI: 3.2 Adaptation to diverse studentsCandidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning, and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students.

Objectives Students will identify a Police Officer. (Knowledge) Students will break down the characteristics of a Police Officer. (Analysis) Students will explain the characteristics of a Police Officer. (Evaluation) Introduction/Do Now Play Guess Who? Teacher will come out dressed as a Police Officer. Students must guess who it is. Learning Activities Teacher gathers students to carpet area. Teacher reads, We Need Police Officers. The book contains lots of pictures so in between pages teacher will stop and ask students what do they see in the pictures and start a discussion. Afterwards, teacher writes Police Officer and puts up a picture of a Police Officer in middle of white board to start concept map. What can you tell me about a Police Officer? Teacher calls on two students and writes answers on board. Students go back to seats to finish concept map worksheet and include 5 more facts about a Police Officer. (students are working in their table groups) Teacher walks around classroom to give help when needed. Teacher calls on each group to present their concepts map. Lesson Closure Students draw their own Police Officer scene using the characteristics they just learned. Resources Community Workers Book Set Lakeshore Teacher made concept map worksheet

Lesson 2 Diagnosis Grade 1 Subject: Social Studies Topic: Community Helpers Sequence: 2 of 5 Class: Inclusive 2 special 15 regular Duration: 40-45 minutes Aim Do you know what to do if you see a fire? Standards NYS: Social Studies (Geography) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface. 3.1 Students will locate places and people within the local community. ACEI: 2.4 Social studiesCandidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studiesthe integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areasto promote elementary students abilities to make informed decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world. ACEI: 3.2 Adaptation to diverse studentsCandidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning, and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students. Objectives Students will identify a Firefighter. (Knowledge) Students will break down the characteristics of a Firefighter. (Analysis) Students will explain the characteristics of a Firefighter. (Evaluation) Introduction/Do Now Teacher and students make a KWL chart about Firefighters. Students write what they know and what they want to learn. Learning Activities Teacher gathers students to carpet area. Teacher reads, We Need Firefighters. The book contains lots of pictures so in between pages teacher will stop and ask students what do they see in the pictures and start a discussion. Afterwards, teacher writes Firefighter and puts up a picture of a Firefighter in middle of white board to start concept map.

What can you tell me about a Firefighter? Teacher calls on two students and writes answers on board. Students go back to seats to finish concept map worksheet and include 5 more facts about a Firefighter. (students are working in their table groups) Teacher walks around classroom to give help when needed. Teacher calls on each group to present their concepts map.

Lesson Closure Teacher and students complete KWL chart and fill in the L section. Assessment Compare and Contrast Students will complete a Venn diagram about Police Officers and Firefighters. Students must include at least three facts in each section. Rubric 3 completes entire diagram, includes at least three facts in each section 2 completes most of diagram, includes at least two facts in each section 1 does not complete diagram, includes at least one fact in each section Resources Community Workers Book Set Lakeshore Teacher made concept map worksheet Teacher made Venn diagram worksheet

Lesson 3 Diagnosis Grade 1 Subject: Social Studies Topic: Community Helpers Sequence: 3 of 5 Class: Inclusive 2 special 15 regular Duration: 30-40 minutes Aim Do you know where to send your mail? Standards NYS: Social Studies (Geography) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface. 3.1 Students will locate places and people within the local community. ACEI: 2.4 Social studiesCandidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studiesthe integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areasto promote elementary students abilities to make informed decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world. ACEI: 3.2 Adaptation to diverse studentsCandidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning, and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students; Objectives Students will identify a Mail Carrier. (Knowledge) Students will break down the characteristics of a Mail Carrier. (Analysis) Students will explain the characteristics of a Mail Carrier. (Evaluation) Introduction/Do Now Play Guess Who? Teacher will dress as a Mail Carrier. Students must guess who it is. Learning Activities Teacher gathers students to carpet area. Teacher reads, We Need Mail Carriers. The book contains lots of pictures so in between pages teacher will stop and ask students what do they see in the pictures and start a discussion. Afterwards, teacher writes Mail Carrier and puts up a picture of a Mail Carrier in middle of white board to start concept map.

What can you tell me about a Mail Carrier? Teacher calls on two students and writes answers on board. Students go back to seats to finish concept map worksheet and include 5 more facts about a Mail Carrier. (students are working in their table groups) Teacher walks around classroom to give help when needed. Teacher calls on each group to present their concepts map.

Lesson Closure Students will draw their own Mail Carrier scene and include characteristics they just learned Resources Community Workers Book Set Lakeshore Teacher made concept map worksheet

Lesson 4 Diagnosis Grade 1 Subject: Social Studies Topic: Community Helpers Sequence: 4 of 5 Class: Inclusive 2 special 15 regular Duration: 40-45 minutes Aim Who do you go to when you are sick? Standards NYS: Social Studies (Geography) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface. 3.1 Students will locate places and people within the local community. ACEI: 2.4 Social studiesCandidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studiesthe integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areasto promote elementary students abilities to make informed decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world ACEI: 3.2 Adaptation to diverse studentsCandidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning, and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students. Objectives Students will identify a Doctor. (Knowledge) Students will break down the characteristics of a Doctor. (Analysis) Students will explain the characteristics of a Doctor. (Evaluation) Introduction/Do Now Teacher and students make a KWL chart about Doctors. Students write what they know and what they want to learn. Learning Activities Teacher gathers students to carpet area. Teacher reads, We Need Doctors. The book contains lots of pictures so in between pages teacher will stop and ask students what do they see in the pictures and start a discussion. Afterwards, teacher writes Doctor and puts up a picture of a Firefighter in middle of white board to start concept map.

What can you tell me about a Doctor? Teacher calls on two students and writes answers on board. Students go back to seats to finish concept map worksheet and include 5 more facts about a Doctor. (students are working in their table groups) Teacher walks around classroom to give help when needed. Teacher calls on each group to present their concepts map.

Lesson Closure Teacher and students complete KWL chart and fill in the L section. Assessment Compare and Contrast Students will complete a Venn diagram about Mail Carriers and Doctors. Students must include at least three facts in each section. Rubric 3 completes entire diagram, includes at least three facts in each section 2 completes most of diagram, includes at least two facts in each section 1 does not complete diagram, includes at least one fact in each section Resources Community Workers Book Set Lakeshore Teacher made concept map worksheet Teacher made Venn diagram worksheet

Lesson 5 Diagnosis Grade 1 Subject: Social Studies Topic: Community Helpers Sequence: 4 of 5 Class: Inclusive 2 special 15 regular Duration: 40-45 minutes Aim Do you know the helpers in your community? Standards NYS: Social Studies (Geography) Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we livelocal, national, and globalincluding the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earths surface. 3.1 Students will locate places and people within the local community. ACEI: 2.4 Social studiesCandidates know, understand, and use the major concepts and modes of inquiry from the social studiesthe integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, and other related areasto promote elementary students abilities to make informed decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse democratic society and interdependent world. ACEI: 3.2 Adaptation to diverse studentsCandidates understand how elementary students differ in their development and approaches to learning, and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students; Objectives Students will identify community helpers. (Knowledge) Students will discriminate between the community helpers. (Analysis) Students will interpret the characteristics of community helpers. (Evaluation) Introduction/Do Now Students completes Who does what? worksheet Learning Activities Teacher gathers students to carpet and has discussion about the four community helpers they learned this week Students go back to their table groups Teacher starts Community Helpers Jeopardy Teacher explains the rules of the game

Lesson Closure Students will finish the statement, If I could be a community helper, I would be Students will include supporting sentences. Assessment Guess Who? Each student will pick a community helper from a hat. One at a time each student will look through props and act out a community helper. Students will guess. Student must take out correct prop and state at least three facts about community helper. Rubric 3 takes out correct prop, states at least three facts about community helper 2 takes out correct prop, states at least two facts about community helper 1 takes out incorrect prop, unable to state facts about community helper Resources Who does what? worksheet Community Helpers Jeopardy on Power Point Dress up clothes and props associated with each community helper CEC Adaptations Some of the students have a hard time reading and writing. In each worksheet or diagram created, I included pictures for those students. I also have everything written or typed in large print.

References ACEI Standards from the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education (2008). Retrieved April 6, 2008 from http://www.ncate.org Blooms Taxonomy (2007, May 6). Retrieved April 6, 2008 from http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/bloom.html Community Workers Book Set. Retrieved April 6, 2008 from http://www.lakeshorelearning.com New York State Learning Standards (2008, March 31). Retrieved April 6, 2008 from http://www.nysed.gov Sample Social Studies Lesson Plan (2008, March17). Retrieved April 6, 2008 from http://www.lessonplanspage.com

Unit Reflection This Unit Plan was aimed at teaching first graders about the different workers/helpers in their community. Not only will they be able to identify the community helpers, but also they will be able to distinguish their characteristics and how each compares to other helpers in their community. I think this is a well thought out lesson that includes cooperative learning and a little creativity. According to the unit objectives and goals, I feel as though the students will be able to learn about the helpers in their community. I included formative assessments (Venn diagram) after every two lessons. The diagram assessed the students abilities to compare and contrast two different community helpers. The unit contained two formative assessments and one summative assessment. The summative assessment can be considered a performance assessment in that the students had to act out a community helper and include at least three different characteristics. I also used the Community Helpers Jeopardy as an assessment. By observing the different cooperating groups, I will be able to see which groups needed the extra help, and afterwards give them that extra help. The main topic in this unit was Social Studies, but I also included Reading, Math, Art, and Theater. I had a writing assignment, a read aloud, group discussions, students were making diagrams, creating a scene, and making a skit of a community helper. Including these other subjects strengthen their skills when they reach that topic.