Standards:

My unit on the topic of social justice will focus on literacy, writing, and social studies.
CC.1.2.3.B Literacy: Students will be able to summarize the key ideas in two texts, citing specific evidence to make connections between the text and personal experiences. Students will be able to participate in a critical discussion, using text to support reasoning. CC.1.2.3.H. Literacy: Evaluate and analyze texts on the same topic to determine significant details and information and use of compare and contrast skills. ELA 1.4 Writing: Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content. CC.1.4.3.I Writing: Students will be able to support and justify a clear opinion and/or argument with facts and details from text personal experiences to strong persuade an audience. NSSS 4A: Analyze how over the last 200 years individuals and groups in American society have struggled to achieve the liberties and equality promised in the principles of American democracy. CC.1.2.3.C. Text Analysis: Students will be able to evaluate the key even in a historical time period, incorporating time-ordered vocabulary CC.1.4.3.V Research: Students will be able to develop questions about a self-selected topic and conduct research to gather information when planning a writing project.

Curriculum Materials: Writers notebooks Lucy Calkins Writers Workshop Unit on Opinion Writing Supplemental texts o Literature (picturebooks and excerpts from autobiography) o Informational Text (current events articles and secondary sources about Civil Rights) Research from internet and library Smartboard

Knowledge of Students and Context: The unit will help students understand what social justice is and recognize issues of social justice, especially in their school and community. Students will develop critical thinking skills by learning about issues of equity and injustices. They will have opportunities to read informational text and write their opinion in different forms. As students are being academically challenged, I also want them to choose an issue that they care about and begin the process of advocacy. Advocacy will be a key component of the unit that will create an authentic, meaningful, and relatable experience for the students. They will build on their knowledge and understanding of social justice, eventually creating an action plan for advocacy. Students will benefitby learninghow to live in a better world and society.

What

Lesson How

Why
Theories of Teaching and Learning: Bloom: Ask high order questions Bransford et al: How children learn Dessel: Important to enhance positive intergroup relationships and school climate and culture Hiebert: Classroom discussion Freire: Pedagogy of freedom Joyce, Weil, Calhoun: Concept attainment and attributes Nasir & Hand: Sociocultural theory Oakes & Lipton: Students construct knowledge using discipline inquiry and recognize learning outside of school; Activities that are authentic, meaningful, and relatable Vygotsky: Zone of proximal development

Teaching Methods:
Group discussions to get students thinking and talking to each other about the concept of social justice and its attributes. Students will build on this understanding to identify what social justice issues are. Create an idea web together about social justice that students can add to over time as they build on concept Small group learning communities for students to discuss, critique, and support each other. Exposure to different articles, people, and stories about social justice so students understand how others have stood up for what they believe in. Examples will be from past (Civil Rights Movement) and present. Write opinion in different forms such as petitions, persuasive letters, speeches, etc. Opportunity to be an advocate by creating an action plan and presentation.

Educational Philosophy and Beliefs

All students, even young children, can learn about social justice and become an activist. Students learn best when activities are authentic, meaningful, and relatable for them. Students need to be challenged so that they will be engaged and motivated to learn. Students should develop critical thinking skills about the world they live in. I adapted the eight components of teaching for social justice in my curriculum: grounded in the lives of the students; critical; multi-cultural, anti-racist, pro-justice; participatory, experiential; hopeful, joyful, kind, visionary; activist; culturally sensitive; and academically rigorous.