ED 345 Calvin College Lesson Planning Form

Teacher:
community?

Ms. Dean

Date: 4/19/16

Subject/ Topic/ Theme: What is

I. Objectives
What is the main focus of this lesson?
Students explore what it means to be in a community with diversity
How does this lesson tie in to a unit plan? (If applicable.)
1st lesson in Civics unit
What are your objectives for this lesson? (As many as needed.) Indicate connections to
applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to only certain students write the
name(s) of the student(s) to whom it applies.
*I can statement: I can describe what it means to live in a community
Students will be able to:
List characteristics of community.
Share one way they provide diversity in the community.
CC.SS.SL.2.1Participateincollaborativeconversationswithdiversepartnersaboutgrade2topicsandtextswithpeersandadults
2G4.0.3Usecomponentsofculture(e.g.foods,language,religion,traditions)todescribediversityinthelocalcommunity

II. Before you start

Prerequisite knowledge
and skills.

Students have learned about community helpers both within the greater
community and the classroom community.
Students add to a wall mural about community, they write how they
participate in the community, or how the community affects them.

Assessment
(formative and
summative)

Universal Design for Learning Networks/Domains (see UDL Guidelines)

RECOGNITION
Multiple Means of Representation
Options for Perception
Students complete anchor chart,
brainstorm ideas, connect to previous
learning, listen to a story, and draw a
mural
Options for Language/Symbols
Providing multiple words for language
that may be new to students
Images help students see the diversity in
the classroom.
Options for Comprehension
Students connect to previous learning,
listen to a story, and create a mural

STRATEGIC
Multiple Means of Expression
(Action)
Options for action/interaction
Students brainstorm with
peers, complete anchor chart,
listen to the story, and draw a
mural
Options for Expression
Participate during class
discussion, draw on mural,
complete worksheet

AFFECTIVE
Multiple Means of
Engagement
Options for recruiting interest
Reading a story, asking for
personal experiences, mural

Options for Executive Function

Bringing ideas together to
create a mural

Options for Self Regulation

Students choose appropriate
items to draw on the mural

Options for Sustaining Effort &

Persistence
Discussing and showing a
mural

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and do you have them?
Do you need to set up
your classroom in any
special way for this
lesson? If so, describe it.
III. The Plan
Tim
Parts
e
5
Motivatio
min
n
(Opening/
Introducti
on/
Engageme
nt)

Whoever you are by Mem Fox

Anchor chart
I live in a community! Worksheet
Students will begin at desks, then move to rug

The description of (script for) the lesson, wherein you describe teacher
activities and student activities
Today we are beginning a unit where we will learn about our local community, and
how everyone in the community works together to keep our community running
smoothly.
Lets remember, a community is a place where people live, work, and play. Our city
can be a community, our neighborhood can be a community, and our classroom can
be a community!
We have already learned about community helpers, can anyone give me an example
of helpers in our community?
(Pre-assessment- see if any of the students mention government workers)
Today, we are going to learn about ways we can describe our community, and we
are going to create a mural! Here is a picture of a mural- so keep this in mind as we
start brainstorming about our community. We will talk about this mural in a little bit!

5
min

Developm
ent

After reading this book, we are going to talk about ways we can describe our
community. . Our classroom can be a community, our city can be a community so
listen carefully during this book to see if you can find ways to describe our
community.
Read Whoever you are by Mem Fox
There are many ways that people in our community are different- we might wear
different clothes, or celebrate different holidays, or eat different food. This makes
our community better, because we can all contribute something!
5
min

We are going to be drawing a picture of how our community is special and different,
so listen carefully and try to get ideas about how our community is different than
other communities.
Can you help me brainstorm some ways that our community is different than other
communities?
Use anchor chart to help identify natural characteristics, businesses, transportation,
cultural aspects.
Natural characteristics:
Grand River
Trees
Grass
Lots of snow
Businesses:
4 Mile Project
Civic theater
Transportation:
Cars
School bus
Cultural Aspects:
Art prize
Monthly celebration
Foods we eat
Cafeteria food

5
min

Describe closure activity:

We are going to create a large picture as a group, or a mural. Here is a picture of a
mural. Can someone describe this mural to me? Does it have many different
pictures? Does it have words?
When I call your name, I want you to come up to the mural, this big piece of paper,
and we are going to draw a picture on it to create a mural, a large picture. We are
going to draw a picture of something that makes our community unique, or different,
or diverse! If you dont know what to draw, Ill bet there is a place you can find
ideas.
Call on someone to help you identify a place to find an idea.
Expectations: everyone draws on the paper, everyone does their best, and its ok if
you are not good at drawing! Are we going to say, ew what is that?! are we going
to draw a picture of spongebob squarepants? Are we going to draw in someone
elses space or over something someone else has already drawn?
When you are not drawing on the mural, you will be completing this activity sheet,
where you can color and write about how you provide diversity or how you help the
community.

10
min
Closure

Students complete closure tasks. Ask students what they are going to draw before
they draw. When all students have finished drawing on the mural, draw their
attention back up to the board, and congratulate them on thinking of so many great
community aspects, and by describing our community.
Just like our community, this mural was created by each and every one of us, and it
is different than every other community!

Your reflection on the lesson including ideas for improvement for next time:
The lesson went very well! I moved quickly and kept the kids engaged with the anchor chart by using
sticky notes. The students had great ideas about the different things in their community, especially the
different businesses they had been to. It was harder for them to come up with natural characteristics, so it
was important for me to have plenty of ideas. The students really took ownership of the mural, but I wish I
could have given them more time next time, some students were frustrated that they were unable to
finish their masterpieces!

Example mural: