Social Studies Unit Plan
Kaitlyn Thomas
Mentored by Ashley Hobson
Building Pedagogical Content Knowledge
APA Citation
King, L. (2017). The status of black
history in U.S. schools and society. 14,
14-18.
https://www.socialstudies.org/publicati
ons/socialeducation/january-february2
017/8101014
Important Content/Information
● ​In 2015, Carter Woodson solidified the
idea/importance of black history and
commonly done as black history month.
● Black people have been traditionally
described as lazy and enjoyed slavery.
● States have begun to make laws around
teaching black history in schools grades K-12
and oversight committees (some not).
● “The Black history curriculum needs to come
from a Black perspective with topics
specially geared towards the Black
experience, and many times these narratives
are and need to be independent of the way we
typically frame U.S. history. The curriculum
will need to balance narratives of victimhood,
oppression, perseverance, and resistance, but
unlike current renditions of the curriculum, it
should contextualize issues that connect with
the present.”
● “Our teaching should center on how Black
history improves our understanding of
contemporary circumstances, and how it can
stimulate us to improve our democracy.
Dubois, B. (2011). Young Children as
Activists: ​Celebrating black history
month and Marian Wright Edelman’s
work. ​24 (2), 18–22.
https://www.socialstudies.org/publicati
ons/ssyl/november-december2011/you
ng-children-as-activists-celebrating-bla
ck-history-month-and-marian-wright-e
delmans-work
Ruffin, S. (2004). Journal of Effective
Schools Project: ​Black History Month.
15-17.
(Viewed in PDF format)
● Suggests picking one person to focus on for
the month/unit to make it more impactful
● Teachers worry that if they introduce
controversial topics at a young age that
children will misinterpret it, i.e. think they
have to sit on the back of the bus like Rosa
Parks, and end up opting out, which is
depriving children of a meaningful education
● “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may
remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”
● Look at images and study them in many
different ways. Ask students what they think
so you can get all perspectives.
● Make background knowledge fun. Go fish
style game where students get to pull a card
from the middle with a magnetic fishing pole
and read the fact to the class. Making this
part engaging can help the students remember
the content.
● When looking at important people look at
their characteristics. Are they characteristics
you or the parents of the children in your
class want the children to foster?
● Focus on those characteristics and end the
lesson with how they use that characteristic in
their life
● The goal is for these lessons to be memorable
and for that to happen they must engage the
children. Allow the lessons to be fun and
creative.
Dower, E. (2017). Family Education:
Top 15 children’s books for black
history month. ​1.
https://www.familyeducation.com/fun/
black-history-month/top-15-childrens-
books-black-history-month
Crawford, C. (2014). Scholastic:
Contemporary images for black history
month.
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bl
og-posts/christy-crawford/contemporar
y-images-black-history-month/
● Whoever you are – addresses diversity and
equality and less of African American people
or culture
● Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. – gives facts about MLK’s
life and also uses quotes and parts of his
speeches to teach about his life
● Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her
People to Freedom – this text is used to teach
about Harriet Tubman and the compassion
she had for others
● Who was Rosa Parks? – This book looks
directly at her life and mainly her
determination for what she believed in and
equal rights for all
● What Color Is My World?: The Lost History
of African-American Inventors – This book
looks at various inventions that African
Americans created or took part in
● Teach about historical figures, but do it
through a lens of “Because of them, we can”
● Look at the students lives and see what they
can do because of people in history
● Don’t look at images of just the people but
look at images that help tell their story
● Have students do a lot of the research or at
least involve them in the process and let them
be accountable for their new discovery
● Decide on a classroom project to decide how
to communicate these findings making it
even more meaningful
Kaesshaefer, M. (2017). Scholastic: ​28
ways to celebrate black history month.
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/ar
ticles/teaching-content/celebrate-black-
history-month/
We are teachers staff. (2014). 7 Fresh
ideas for black history month.
https://www.weareteachers.com/7-fres
h-ideas-for-black-history-month/
● Look at famous people like what makes them
famous? What are some major characteristics
they share?
● Look at cultural foods, but focus on the what
and the why and less on just the food and do
we like it or not
● Examine different forms of history, oral,
written, pictures, and talk about why each
form is unique, look at people, events, etc.
through these forms of history
● ​Look through the lens of journalism. What
makes a journalist? How do you write about
these things in a factual manor? Let the
students be journalist.
● Let the students do the research and make a
product to teach other people or the rest of
the class about a topic. Allow them to
become experts and teachers
● Study through music. Look at jazz or hip hop
and the progression and who was involved in
the movements
● Recreate these events in your classroom.
Reader’s theatre style. Talk about the
feelings that are being experienced from the
different people that get to be involved
● Go local – look around the community you
are in. Who is in your community that can
talk about black history? Make it closer to
home for the students to relate and discuss
their own experiences
● Look more modern day. History is very
important and it is very important to learn
about past events, but what about current
events? Include them also
● Make it creative. Add art projects. Have a
rally in your room for equal rights; make
signs, what goes on an appropriate sign, for
 people to understand what they are fighting
for?

Hopkins, G. (2017). Education World:
Langston Hughes has a dream too​.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_less
on/dailylp/dailylp/dailylp051.shtml
● Lesson plan looked at Martin Luther King
Jr.’s speech “I have a dream” and talked
about the different books Langston Hughes
wrote and how the speeches and the books
relate to each other.
● Pull out quotes and compare and contrast the
two.
● Have the students respond to their new
discoveries with a poem or a picture.
● Use this lesson to weave in a new writing
technique about poem or in kinder think
about sentence structure when writing about
their new discoveries.

Stage 1: Desired Results

1. ​Unit Title​: Black History Month: Looking at our Nation's Icons Through Character Traits

2. ​Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) and Content Standards, and Anti-Bias
Standards​:
Illinois Social Science State Standards
Change, Continuity, and Context
SS.H.1.K: ​Compare life in the past with life today.
Anti-Bias Standards
Students will identify figures, groups, events and a variety of strategies and philosophies relevant
to the history of social justice around the world.
Social Emotional Learning Standards
2B.1b. Describe positive qualities in others.

3. ​Big Powerful Ideas:

Macro Level
● People​ worked​ for the rights and privileges we have today.
● The Leaders ​we are discussing possess traits that can help us in our lives today.
Lesson Level
● These Leaders​ are everyday people that wanted to see change.
● Possessing character traits such as determination, compassion, honesty, trust, kindness,
and fairness helped ​Leaders​ to be successful in creating a better world today.
● I can also use these traits in my everyday life to make my world better world.

4. ​Essential Questions:
1. Who are some Leaders that you have witnessed use determination, courageous, honesty,
trust, kindness, and fairness to make the world a better place?
2. How do people in my community use determination, compassion, honesty, trust,
kindness, and fairness to make the world a better place?
3. How can I use determination, compassion, honesty, trust, kindness, and fairness to make
my world a better place?

5. ​Unit Objectives:
1. Students will gain knowledge about the following icons; Rosa Parks, George Washington
Carver, Barack Obama, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, and their
role in our nation's history through discussion, read alouds, and group research.
2. Students will acquire knowledge about what it means to have determination, courageous,
honesty, trust, kindness, and fairness through the discussion of the actions of some our
nation’s (listed above) icons.
3. Students will be able to compare and contrast the character traits possessed by icons
listed above with the use of a venn diagram to better understand how the character traits
can work together to make their environment a better place.
4. Students will be able to take their knowledge of determination, compassion, honesty,
trust, kindness, and fairness and draw/write about how they can possess each of these
traits individually and collectively, to make their environment a better place.

6. ​Rationale:

What are you teaching? Why you are teaching this?

(Must align with the 5 elements of powerful
social studies)

I am teaching the children about the lives Value-Based: This portion of the unit is
and accomplishments Rosa Parks, George value-based because it introduces the
Washington Carver, Barack Obama, students to american icons that led the way
Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr.,
and Ruby Bridges.
I am having the students think about their
own identity.
I am having the students think about their
own identity while learning about how
other people possessed them.
I plan to use strategies such as think, pair,
share, small group activities, the use of
technology, whole group discussion, and
scavenger hunts.
I am teaching writing techniques such as
the use of a venn diagram, letter writing,
and concept mapping.
for African Americans and the freedoms
that they have today. Having an
understanding of where we come from and
where we are today gives an added
appreciation for things privileges that were
not accessible to previous generations.
Meaningful: This really makes the students
not just go through the motions and actually
remember what we are learning. This
makes the students better citizens by having
them engage in self reflection.
Challenging: We first see how american
icons used major character traits that they
possessed to fight for what they believed in
and then they must apply those traits to their
own lives forcing them to change
perspectives and engage in critical thinking.
Active: The use of many different forms of
interactions will make it so the children are
always moving which is very important in
kindergarten. To keep the children focused
and reach the whole class I must engage
them in many different ways.
Integrative: I am incorporating this unit with
writing. Writing causes us to often think
deeper and leaves room for editing when
ideas change or adapt. Learning to use
different writing techniques to compare and
contrast ideas will also help the students in
their writing futures.
Stage 2: Assessment/Evidence:
1. ​Prior Knowledge:
● SEL: (managing big emotions, calming down big emotions, patience, looking at people’s
faces and identifying their big emotions). MOstly done with writing and comprehension.
● Our community and how we see ourselves in that community done with literacy.
● Merely touched on identity, but barely at all and it was coupled with literacy.

2. ​Pre-Assessment: Seeing Student Thinking:

This activity (seeing student thinking) affirmed my beliefs about what the children know and
don’t know, but also challenged them. The students had baseline ideas of 3 out of the 6 terms we
plan to cover, but I would not call them proficient by any means. This lets me know that I
should start at the beginning with building these definitions before I try to apply the traits to
icons and before they can evaluate how they themselves are or can be determined, honest,
trustworthy, kind, fair, and courageous.

3. ​End-of-Unit Performance Task:

For the end-of-unit task I am going to have the children complete the same document I had the
students complete for seeing student thinking. The students will be given a sheet with 6 boxes
and at the top of each box will be the character traits listed in the questions above.​ ​I will ask the
students to draw a picture of them showing how they can possess each character trait. Each
student will write a sentence to match. For example, if the child drew them being compassionate
by helping someone who is hurt get up a sentence to match could be “I can be compassionate by
helping someone who fell.” This will show that they truly understand the definition and how to
apply it to their own life.

Pictures for 6 The child The child The child The child
terms accurately accurately accurately accurately
displays displays displays displays
themselves themselves themselves themselves
possessing each possessing at possessing at possessing at
character trait. least 4 character least 3 character least 2 character
(must have at traits. traits. traits.
least 5)
 Sentences for 6 The child The child The child The child
terms accurately accurately accurately accurately
matches the matches the matches the matches the
sentence with sentence with sentence with sentence with
the picture for the picture for 4 the picture for 3 the picture for 2
5-6 of the terms. of the terms. of the terms. of the terms.
(Must match the (Must match the (Must match the (Must match the
definition also) definition also) definition also) definition also)

Identity of self The child shows The child shows The child shows The child shows
that they know that they know that they know that they know
how to possess how to possess how to possess how to possess
the 6 terms by the 6 terms by the 6 terms by the 6 terms by
having having having having
themselves in all themselves in at themselves in at themselves in at
5-6 pictures. least 4 pictures. least 3 pictures. least 2 pictures.

Picture includes The child shows The child shows The child shows The child shows
others that they know that they know that they know that they know
how to possess how to possess how to possess how to possess
the 6 terms by the 6 terms by the 6 terms by the 6 terms by
having others in having others in having others in having others in
all 5-6 pictures. all 4 pictures. all 3 pictures. all 2 pictures.

Stage 3: Learning Plan

1. Linguistic, social and academic challenges, resources and supports

Student Description of their Accommodations/Modifications/Scaffolding to

Linguistic, Social, or Academic Address Student’s Needs
Needs

I have 3 students that get restless
throughout the day. They begin to
talk on the carpet to their neighbors
and move their bodies constantly.
They also tend to blurt out making it
hard for equitable talk. They often
get put out of the whole group
making it so they miss out on the
content.
​Iplan to give these students special roles when the
behaviors happen. For example, if they begin to
blurt out I may give them the role of recording
everyone’s responses or if I am making an anchor
chart I may have them hand me the different
markers as I need them.
The class is split pretty well down I will have an extra add on piece to assignments
the middle with half the class being for the higher level group. This can be something
on target and have the class being that adds difficulty or just something that relates
above target. ​When I say target I that this group can do if they finish early.
am referring to students who meet
the expectations for mid year
kindergarten and then students who
are above the mid year kindergarten
expectations. ​Fortunately there are
currently no below target students.

I have two children who rarely share ​I

out with the class. They both rarely
raise their hands, and when called
on they answer in a very low soft
voice that I can only hear if I stand
right next to them. Both children
are seen being outgoing with their
peers in smaller settings.
plan to engage the children in many different
think, pair, shares, where the students will engage
more with a partner than in the whole group
setting. This way the child can communicate their
ideas and the partner can then communicate them
to the whole group if necessary. I also plan to
incorporate some small group activities.

2. Overview:

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which
standards will this standards will this standards will this standards will this standards will this
lesson address? lesson address? lesson address? lesson address? lesson address?
Social ​Social Anti-Bias Social Anti-Bias
Emotional Emotional Standards Emotional Standards
Learning Learning Students will Learning Students will
Standards Standards identify figures, Standards identify figures,
2B.1b. Describe 2B.1b. Describe groups, events 2B.1b. Describe groups, events
positive positive and a variety of positive and a variety of
qualities in qualities in strategies and qualities in strategies and
others. others. philosophies others. philosophies
relevant to the relevant to the
history of social history of social
justice around justice around
the world. the world.
 SS.H.1.K: SS.H.1.K:
Compare life in Compare life in
the past with the past with
life today. life today.

Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s):
What will students What will students What will students What will students What will students
be able to do? be able to do? be able to do? be able to do? be able to do?
Students will be Students will be Students will be Students will be Students will be
able to able to able to identify able to able to identify
communicate understand how Harriet understand how Ruby
prior what it means Tubman what it means Bridges
knowledge to have showed to have showed
about these determination. determination. courage. courage.
character traits; Students will be Students will be Students will be Students will be
determination, able to able to identify able to able to identify
courage, communicate how others in communicate how others in
honesty, trust, how they can their lives show how they can their lives show
kindness, and be determined determination. be courageous courage.
fairness. in their lives. in their lives.

Assessment: How Assessment: How Assessment: How Assessment: How Assessment: How
will you know if will you know if will you know if will you know if will you know if
all students are all students are all students are all students are all students are
meeting the meeting the meeting the meeting the meeting the
objective(s)? objective(s)? objective(s)? objective(s)? objective(s)?
Students will Students will Students will Students will Students will
complete a make a poster complete a write me a make a chart
chart while they about venn diagram letter telling me that has School
fill out/draw a themselves that of someone how they are for Ruby,
picture includes important in courageous in School for me,
describing their pictures they their life (i.e. their lives. adn School for
knowledge of drew of them mom or _____ and they
each word. being grandma) and will fill out how
determined. Harriet Tubman each one was/is
on their courageous at
qualities that school. They
make them will bring it
determined. home to finish
with a parent
 for the ___
column.

Student Student Student Student Student

Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s):
How are you How are you How are you How are you How are you
planning for planning for planning for planning for planning for
diverse learners? diverse learners? diverse learners? diverse learners? diverse learners?
The lesson will This lesson will The lesson will This lesson will This lesson will
engage in think, engage in a engage in think, engage in a engage in a
pair, share, and small group pair, share, and small group small group
have specific have specific
discussion. discussion. discussion.
roles for certain roles for certain
students if This lesson will students if This lesson will This lesson will
needed. There have specific needed. There have specific have specific
will also be roles for certain will also be roles for certain roles for certain
differentiated students if differentiated students if students if
work. needed. There work. needed. There needed. There
will also be will also be will also be
differentiated differentiated differentiated
work. work. work.

Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment:
How does this How does this How does this How does this How does this
lesson engage your lesson engage your lesson engage your lesson engage your lesson engage your
students in the students in the students in the students in the students in the
larger larger larger larger larger
goals/objectives of goals/objectives of goals/objectives of goals/objectives of goals/objectives of
the unit? the unit? your unit? your unit? your unit?
Students Students Students see Students Students see
discover discover how historical discover how historical
character traits character traits leaders possess character traits leaders possess
in themselves in themselves positive in themselves positive
and in others. and society character traits and society character traits
around them. like themselves around them. like themselves
and others in and others in
their lives. their lives.

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10

GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which GLCE(s): Which
standards will this standards will this standards will this standards will this standards will this
lesson address? lesson address? lesson address? lesson address? lesson address?
Social Anti-Bias Social Anti-Bias Social
Emotional Standards Emotional Standards Emotional
Learning Students will Learning Students will Learning
Standards identify figures, Standards identify figures, Standards
2B.1b. Describe groups, events 2B.1b. Describe groups, events 2B.1b. Describe
positive and a variety of positive and a variety of positive
qualities in strategies and qualities in strategies and qualities in
others. philosophies others. philosophies others.
relevant to the relevant to the SS.H.1.K:
history of social history of social Compare life in
justice around justice around the past with
the world. the world. life today.
SS.H.1.K: SS.H.1.K:
Compare life in Compare life in
the past with the past with
life today. life today.

Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s):
What will students What will students What will students What will students What will students
be able to do? be able to do? be able to do? be able to do? be able to do?
Students will be Students will be Students will be ​Students will Students will be
able to able to identify able to be able to able to
understand how Barack understand identify how communicate
what it means Obama showed what it means Martin Luther their knowledge
to be he was to be kind. King Jr. about the
trustworthy. trustworthy. Students will be showed he was following
Students will be Students will be able to kind. character traits;
able to able to identify communicate determination,
communicate how others in how they can courage,
how they can their lives show be kind in their honesty, trust,
be trustworthy they are lives. kindness, and
in their lives. trustworthy. fairness.
Assessment: How Assessment: How Assessment: How Assessment: How Assessment: How
will you know if will you know if will you know if will you know if will you know if
all students are all students are all students are all students are all students are
meeting the meeting the meeting the meeting the meeting the
objective(s)? objective(s)? objective(s)? objective(s)? objective(s)?
Students will Students will Students will Students will Students will
make a list of identify a make posters to write a list of complete a
qualities/picture person they hang up around qualities that chart while they
s that make trust and why the school of MLK has that fill out/draw a
them they trust them how they can make him kind. picture
trustworthy. on a thank you be kind in This will be describing their
note they will school. done through knowledge of
make for them. read alouds each word.
about him, (Stapled with
snippets of his their original
speech, and ideas to
stories told by compare to the
others in video beginning
form. answers)

Student Student Student Student Student

Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s): Adaptation(s):
How are you How are you How are you How are you How are you
planning for planning for planning for planning for planning for
diverse learners? diverse learners? diverse learners? diverse learners? diverse learners?
The lesson will This lesson will The lesson will The lesson will This lesson will
engage in think, engage in a engage in think, engage in think, engage in a
pair, share, and small group pair, share, and pair, share, and small group
have specific
have specific discussion. have specific discussion.
roles for certain
roles for certain This lesson will roles for certain students if This lesson will
students if have specific students if needed. There have specific
needed. There roles for certain needed. There will also be roles for certain
will also be students if will also be differentiated students if
differentiated needed. There differentiated work. needed. There
work. will also be work. will also be
differentiated differentiated
work. work.
Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment:
How does this How does this How does this How does this How does this
lesson engage your lesson engage your lesson engage your lesson engage your lesson engage your
students in the students in the students in the students in the students in the
larger larger larger larger larger
goals/objectives of goals/objectives of goals/objectives of goals/objectives of goals/objectives of
the unit? the unit? the unit? the unit? the unit?
Students Students see Students Students see Students
discover how historical discover how historical describe
character traits leaders possess character traits leaders possess character traits
in themselves positive in themselves positive in themselves
and society character traits and society character traits and in others.
around them. like themselves around them. like themselves
and others in and others in
their lives. their lives.
3. Individual Lesson Plans:
Day 1 (Intro Lesson Plan)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you” (Student)

Warm-Up Start the lesson by having the students get

some wiggles out. Say “kiss your brain, (let
them do this action), hug your body (let them
do this action), high five the class (let them do
this action), now show me you are ready to
learn, because we have a lot to ______ (the
children respond with “learn”).”

Learning Goals 2B.1b. Describe positive qualities in others.

Students will be able to communicate prior
knowledge about these character traits;
determination, courage, honesty, trust, and
kindness.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations In the process of discussion engage in think,

pair, shares after you ask each question.
On the sheet the students are asked to fill out
some will ask for a sentence and some are
going to be asked for a picture with labels.

We do We are going to engage in a discussion before

we begin our pre-assessment. Ask the
following questions and have the students
think about their response, pair up, and then
have them share out their responses. It is
important to engage in equitable talk and call
on a variety of students.
“I have so many words that I want to teach
you about, but I need to know what you know
 about them already! Do you think you can
help me?” Remind the students how to find an
elbow partner and decide who gets to be the
first person to share and the second person to
share.
What do you think it means to have courage?
What do you think it means to be determined?
What do you think it means to be honest?
What do you think it means to be trustworthy?
What do you think it means to be kind?
After each question allow the students to
think on their own, then pair up and discuss
with a partner, then discuss as a whole group.
Create a chart on the smart board for you to
record the responses from the students to each
question. Make a box for each word.

You Do Release the students back to their seats to fill

out a sheet that asks them to draw a picture or
draw a picture and write a sentence about
each one of the words we just discussed.
Read each box to the students as they go
through the assignment.

Closure Call the students back to the carpet where you

have them end how we started and thank them
for working hard with you. Say “kiss your
brain, (let them do this action), hug your body
(let them do this action), high five the class
(let them do this action)”
 Day 2 (What is determination?)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Refer back to the chart we made yesterday

and have the students look at what they
thought the word determination meant.

Learning Goals 2B.1b. Describe positive qualities in others.

Students will be able to understand what it
means to have determination.
Students will be able to communicate how
they can be determined in their lives.
Students will be able to sequence the events in
a story.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations On the sheet the students are asked to fill out

some will ask for a sentence and some are
going to be asked for a picture with labels.

Anchor Chart We are going to start by making an anchor

chart about what determination is. I will start
at the top of the large piece of poster paper by
writing “Determination”. I will direct the
students attention back to the chart we made
yesterday and look at their predictions or what
they think determination means. Then I will
write the definition under the title “to keep
going when things get hard, and sticking with
it until you are all done.” I will then ask them
to think about times when they would have to
show determination or be determined? Draw
pictures and write down on the chart their
 responses.

We do As a class we will read the book “The Most

Magnificent Thing” by Ashley Spires. I will
read the text stopping after the introduction,
the middle, and the end, and ask how the main
character (the regular girl) is showing that she
is determined at each point. Make sure to call
on multiple students to get multiple
perspectives. ​Text has been notated for
stopping points. ​The students will then go
back to their seats and we will begin to work
on a chart that asks how the regular girl shows
she is determined at the beginning, the
middle, and the end. There will be 3 boxes
labeled for each with a sentence line
underneath each box. As a group we will fill
out the beginning and middle box.

You Do The students will be released to fill in the

ending box. The students will have to draw a
picture of how the regular girl she was
determined at the end of the story. Some
students will be asked to write a sentence
explaining their picture.

Closure The students will meet back on the carpet and

I will ask them how they can be determined
during the school day? Go around the room
and ask each student to share an example.
 Day 3 (Determination and Harriet Tubman)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Pull up the anchor chart we made as a class

and refer to the definition of determination to
refresh everyone's memories before we take
another look at how someone else displayed
determination.

Learning Goals Anti-Bias Standards

Students will identify figures, groups, events
and a variety of strategies and philosophies
relevant to the history of social justice around
the world.
SS.H.1.K: ​Compare life in the past with life
today.
2B.1b​. Describe positive qualities in others.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations In the process of discussion engage in think,

pair, shares after some of the questions.
On the sheet the students are asked to fill out
some will ask for word or short sentences and
some are going to be asked for a pictures in
their venn diagrams.

I do/We do (We do)I will first start by telling the class

there is someone I would like to tell them
about. I will use the book She Persisted by
Chelsea Clinton. (I will only read the part
about Harriet Tubman at this point in the
unit). I will ask the class about what Harriet
Tubman did? I will then ask the children how
 did Harriet Tubman show she was
determined? Then I will ask how being
determined helped other people?
(I do) Then I will put up a venn diagram on
the smartboard and I will compare myself to
Harriet Tubman and qualities that made us
determined along with identity aspects for
example, we are both girls, we are both
determined, our determination helps other
people, but also she is black and I am white,
she lived long ago and I live today.

You Do I will release the children to their seats to

complete a venn diagram comparing
themselves to Harriet Tubman in a venn
diagram. While this is happening I will walk
around and have table small group discussions
about what they are writing.​ I will have
reading a-z readers printed and available for
students to refer to if they need more
information. They will be at the student's
independent reading level.

Closure I will have the students come back to the

carpet and share how they are like Harriet
Tubman. Then I will ask the students ​How
can you help others by​ ​being determined?
 Day 4 (What is courage?)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Refer back to the chart we made on day one

and have the students look at what they
thought the word courage meant.

Learning Goals 2B.1b. Describe positive qualities in others.

Students will be able to understand what it
means to have determination.
Students will be able to communicate how
they can be determined in their lives.
Students will be able to understand cause and
effect.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations On the sheet the students are asked to fill out

some will ask for a sentence and some are
going to be asked for a picture with labels. I
will make two of the questions think, pair,
shares.

Anchor Chart We are going to start by making an anchor

chart about what courage is. I will start at the
top of the large piece of poster paper by
writing “Courage”. I will direct the students
attention back to the chart we made on the
first day and look at their predictions or what
they think courage means. Then I will write
the definition under the title “the ability to do
something even if it scares you.” I will then
ask them to think about times when they
would had to show courage or be courageous?
I will give an example of myself (I was scared
 to move to chicago but I wanted to be their
teacher so I had to move away from my
home) Draw pictures and write down on the
chart their responses

We do As a whole class we will read the text As

Brave as can be by Jo Witnek. Stop point
number 1 - Oh my goodness, she is afraid of
so many things, do you think she is being
courageous right now? Why or why not? Stop
point 2 - The little girl said she had special
pajamas to help her do you think it was the
pajamas that helped her? Do you think that
because of her courage to look for the noise in
the night she was no longer scared? Stop point
3 - Do you think it took courage for her to
say hello back to the dog? Thumbs up if you
think yes it did and thumbs down if you think
no it didn’t. Stop Point 4 - Did you hear that!?
Sometimes our courage can help other people.
How did her courage help her little sister?
Stop point 5 - Can you imagine if we didn't
have the courage to be around bugs?! And we
trapped inside all day!!! Final point (end of
the book) - What do you think made her
mountain of fears look small?
Then make a cause and effect chart where
under the cause it will say I have courage
so… and the effect side will be filled in with
things like I can ride my bike without training
wheels.

You Do Release the students to go back to their seats.

They will fill out a sheet that has two boxes.
The first one will say cause above it and say I
have courage so… in it and the next one will
say effect above it with blank lines. The
student will have to draw a picture of
something they can do because they have
courage. (Top groups will draw and write/
lower groups will just have to draw, can write
if they would like.
Closure Call the students back to the carpet. Have 5
students share what they can do because they
have courage. Ask them if they think their
courage helps anyone else?
 Day 5 (Courage and Ruby Bridges)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Pull up the anchor chart we made as a class

and refer to the definition of courage to
refresh everyone's memories before we take
another look at how someone else displayed
courage.

Learning Goals Anti-Bias Standards

Students will identify figures, groups, events
and a variety of strategies and philosophies
relevant to the history of social justice around
the world.
SS.H.1.K: ​Compare life in the past with life
today.
2B.1b​. Describe positive qualities in others.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations On the sheet the students are asked to fill out

some will ask for a sentence and some are
going to be asked for a picture with labels.

I do/We do (We do)I will first start by telling the class

there is someone I would like to tell them
about. I will read the book the Story of Ruby
Bridges by Robert Coles. Stop after the first
page. Explain that because of the machines
they no longer needed Ruby’s dad to work so
he lost his job, people have to work to get
money and we need money to live (point out
the cause and effect). Remember when we
talked about a time where white people and
 black people had to use different bathrooms,
different water fountains, they also had to go
to different schools. When Ruby was going
to a new school where people didn’t want her,
do you think she was scared? How do you
think you would feel if people were so angry
you were at their school that police officers
had to walk you in to keep you safe (you
couldn’t walk alone)?! What did Ruby have
(courage) that kept her going to school with
no one there and all of the people outside her
school? At the end of the story ask the
children, what if Ruby didn’t have the
courage to face those people everyday? Do
you think black children and white children
would be able to go to school together? (Make
sure they are seeing the because of Ruby
Bridges’ courage we all get to go to school
together) ​Also ask the students who else they
have learned about or know may have acted
out of courage like Ruby Bridges?
(I do) Then I will put up a sheet on the smart
board that has two boxes the first one will say
“cause” above it and say I have the courage to
do ___________so… in it and the next one
will say “effect” above it with blank lines and
on those lines I will write something that
because of my courage someone else gets to
do. (How my courage helps other people)
(There was a bully at my school, but I said
Please stop being to mean to her, and because
of my courage to stop the bullying made it so
other children weren’t bullied)

You Do Release the students back to their seats to fill

out their own chart about how their courage
helps other people. Walk around join the
table groups to help guide their thinking if
students are struggling.

Closure Call the students back to the carpet. Have 5

students share what how their courage helps
other people. (Like Ruby’s did)
 Day 6 (Trust)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Refer back to the chart we made on day one

and have the students look at what they
thought the word trust means.

Learning Goals 2B.1b. Describe positive qualities in others.

Students will be able to communicate how
they can be trusting.
Students will be able to understand cause and
effect.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Anchor Chart We are going to start by making an anchor

chart about what it means to be trustworthy. I
will start at the top of the large piece of poster
paper by writing “Trustworthy”. I will direct
the students attention back to the chart we
made on the first day and look at their
predictions or what they think it means to be
trustworthy. Then I will write the definition
under the title “people believe that you are
honest and truthful” I will then ask them to
think about times when they told the truth and
people thought of them to be trustworthy? I
will write and draw pictures of what they say
on the chart.

We do As a class I will play this video on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWxk2Q
FblEE
I will ask the class why they think it is
important to be trustworthy?
 Then I will give the children scenarios and in
pairs ask them to come up with the
trustworthy solution. I saw someone take
something off the teachers desk. My mom
asks if I ate the apple she packed me at lunch,
but I threw it away. My mom asks if my
brother is home, my brother said don’t tell
mom I left. My teacher lost her glasses I saw
someone take them, and she asks me if I know
where they are.

You Do In partners (that I assign) the students will

make a poster to describe what it means to be
trustworthy. I will use the anchor chart as an
example for what needs to be on a poster.
They will have to put a complete sentence and
a picture.

Closure The students will then come back to the carpet

with their poster and present it to the class
how they describe being trustworthy and their
example.
 Day 7 (Trust and Barack Obama)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Pull up the anchor chart we made as a class

and refer to the definition of trust to refresh
everyone's memories before we take another
look at how someone else displayed trust.

Learning Goals Anti-Bias Standards

Students will identify figures, groups, events
and a variety of strategies and philosophies
relevant to the history of social justice around
the world.
SS.H.1.K: ​Compare life in the past with life
today.
2B.1b​. Describe positive qualities in others.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations On the sheet the students are asked to fill out

some will ask for a sentence and some are
going to be asked for a picture with labels for
their thank you notes.

I do/We do We do - I will start by playing this read aloud

book from youtube that discusses the process
Barack Obama went through to become
president
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiSklqbQ
tQw
I will pause at each point where they are
describing the process he went through to
become president and ask the class what
qualities he had for the people to vote for
him? (Trust) Do you think if he wasn’t
 trustworthy people would elect him to be
president? Why is it important that he is
trustworthy? What would it be like if we
didn’t have people we could trust? How
would we feel? Do you think being
trustworthy at school might get us jobs or
special privileges?
I do - I am now going to identify someone
that I trust (Amari B) and write him a thank
you letter explaining why I trust him and let
him know that it makes me feel good to trust
him. “Thank you Amari B for being
trustworthy. I know you will help me get out
the IPads without breaking them. That makes
my job easy.” Love, Miss Thomas

You Do Release the students back to their seats to

write a thank you note to someone they trust.
Leave the example on the board for the
children to refer back to. Before the students
can leave and get their paper they need to tell
me who the person they trust is and why.

Closure I will let the children put their letters in their

backpack/pass them out if they have to before
returning the carpet. Then I will ask, why is it
important to be trustworthy?
 Day 8 (Kindness)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Refer back to the chart we made on day one

and have the students look at what they
thought it meant to be kind.

Learning Goals 2B.1b.​ Describe positive qualities in others.

Students will be able to communicate how
they can be kind in their lives.
Students will be able to understand listing and
making a list.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations Before we share out ideas for our list I will

have students get in small groups and
brainstorm ideas. (I will make groups)
I will also put pictures by items on the list for
students unable to read.

Anchor Chart We are going to start by making an anchor

chart about what it means to be kind. I will
start at the top of the large piece of poster
paper by writing “Kindness”. I will direct the
students attention back to the chart we made
on the first day and look at their predictions or
what they think it means to be kind. Then I
will write the definition under the title “to
nice, friendly, and caring towards other
people and things” I will then ask them to
think about times when they were kind? I
will write and draw pictures of what they say
on the chart.
We do First as a class we will read the book What
does it mean to be kind? by Rana Diorio.
This story goes through many scenarios of
situations where people are showing acts of
kindness. Pause and have the children look at
the faces of the people and ask how they feel
about being kind and how the person feels
when someone is kind to them. Then as a
whole class we are going to make a list of
ways we can be kind in our classroom.

Closure As a class we will decide where to hang our

poster so everyone can remember how we
should act towards each other. If multiple
locations are suggested we will vote.
 Day 9 (Kindness and Martin Luther King Jr.)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Pull up the anchor chart we made as a class

and refer to the definition of kindness to
refresh everyone's memories before we take
another look at how someone else displayed
kindness.

Learning Goals Anti-Bias Standards

Students will identify figures, groups, events
and a variety of strategies and philosophies
relevant to the history of social justice around
the world.
SS.H.1.K: ​Compare life in the past with life
today.
2B.1b​. Describe positive qualities in others.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accomodations On the sheet the students are asked to fill out

some will ask for a sentence and some are
going to be asked for a picture with labels for
their thank you notes.

We do First I will ask the class what they remember

about Martin Luther King Jr. when we talked
about him earlier in the year? Then I will ask
them to think about all the traits we have
learned about thus far and point to the
character trait anchor charts (determination,
kindness, trustworthy, and courage). I will
then play them this read aloud
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1artaZZr
KeQ
 And I will pause after each event is discussed
in the story and ask the class how do you
think he showed kindness? Do you think
people were showing him kindness why or
why not? (I will rotate through the terms as I
see fit throughout the story) I will make sure
to call on as many students as I can.

You Do Students will go back to their seats and be

instructed to draw a self portrait. They will
then draw pictures or write words that show
how they are kind, determined, trustworthy,
or courageous around the picture of
themselves. I will walk around the room
sitting at small groups and asking children
how they see themselves.​ I will also play a
speech by Dr. MLK Jr. while they are
working, so the students can hear the
powerfulness in his words.

Closure I will call the children back to the carpet and

have them share out how they are all of the
traits we have been discussing and then I will
ask them “Do they think that they can make a
difference like MLK, Ruby Bridges, etc? Why
or why not?”
 Day 10 (Wrap-up Day)
Ready to Learn The students will walk in and sit on the carpet
in ready position. I will remind them of the
TEAM chart hanging on the window about
how to TEAM on the carpet. I will use the
attention getter “1, 2, 3, all eyes on me”
(Teacher) “1, 2, eyes on you”

Warm-Up Pull out the chart that we made at the

beginning of the unit about what we thought
each character trait term was.

Learning Goals Students will be able to communicate their

knowledge about the following character
traits; determination, courage, honesty, trust,
kindness, and fairness.

Lesson Importance Students need to know how to act in society

in a positive way and engage in positive
interactions. For this to happen students must
possess and be able to recognize positive
character traits in themselves and in others.

Accommodations Students who are still working on writing

complete sentences can draw pictures with
labels to communicate their knowledge.

Assessment Students will have a sheet with 4 boxes on it

and the words courage, determination,
trustworthy, and kind on the top of them
(exactly like the pre-assessment) We will go
through this together and the students will
draw a picture and/or write a sentence about
what they think each one means. I will read
the following questions for each of the boxes.
What do you think it means to have courage?
What do you think it means to be determined?
What do you think it means to be trustworthy?
What do you think it means to be kind?

Closure We will close the lesson by comparing what

we originally thought the words meant and
what we know now (what they actually are)
and compare our answers.
Stage 4: Post-Teaching Reflection (13 points)
1. Mentor Teacher/Field Instructor Evaluation (1 point):
Include the comments of your mentor teacher for one (or more) of your lessons taught using the
form below. If you are unable to receive mentor teacher feedback, please arrange to have your
field instructor observe a lesson and complete the form.

2. Reflection on Student Learning (6 points):

Write a paragraph for each of the questions below regarding student learning. Draw upon
evidence (e.g., student work and quotations from students). Include examples of student work as
an Appendix.

Explain how students met the content goals and objective?

Explain how the students met the skill goals and objectives
What values did students learn as a result your unit?

3. Reflection on the Unit and Refining (6 points):

Write one paragraph for each of the following questions. Give specific examples to illustrate
your points.
What did you expect to happen in this unit?
What went as predicted?
What surprised you?
What were the strengths of the unit?
What weakness exists in your unit and what would you do to address these weaknesses?
What else did you learn about the topic, your students, the curriculum, or teaching?