Unit Reflection

Upon reflection after my trip to Mexico, I would change some aspects of this social
studies unit in relation to the needs of Utah’s growing Hispanic student population. Hispanic and
English Language learning students are some of the most educationally disadvantaged groups in
the US. But there are ways to address this issue within my own teaching practices. This unit
involves 2 lessons involving economics: good citizenship, and transportation throughout history.

In the Good Citizenship lesson, I did originally have a problem with the word citizenship
which is defined as: "recognized under the custom or law as being a legal member of a sovereign
state." I absolutely do not want to assume that all my students are documented citizens of the
United States and often students that are undocumented feel they could potentially be under
attack from immigration enforcement just because of the use of the word "citizenship". So, upon
further reflection, I would change this lesson’s focus and lesson name to “good community
member”. Also, this lesson requires students to identify some ‘good acts’ from their past or 'good
acts' they have witnessed. I will encourage students to identify good acts that they have
experienced among their family or past communities. I will also have students reflect on how
being a good community member impacts the world as a whole, not just their current
community.

My other lesson titled Transportation Then and Now, involves students looking back at
different types of transportation from the 1920s and comparing that to present forms of
transportation. I would love to have students be able to understand how students in other cultures
get to school, especially in the ways they may have experienced it in their own cultures. I had
previously only incorporated different American modes of transportation but it is important for
students to connect with their own funds of knowledge and also learn other cultures' modes of
transportation. Also, this lesson assumes that “modern transportation”, like airplanes, boats, and
cars, should look a certain way in a certain time period. Some cultures are not as progressive as
the U.S and many students probably have not experienced seeing, much less being, on a cruise
ship or airplane. So, when assessing their knowledge I will be sure to understand each student's
background knowledge and experiences in his or her own culture to know what modern
transportation means to them.

Overall I think there are many more things I can change within this and other units to
more appropriately benefit students of different cultural backgrounds, especially Hispanic and
specifically Mexican American students. The best thing I can do is to get to know the student,
their experiences, culture and background, and to accommodate their needs accordingly.

Social Studies
Economics Unit
Grade: ​1

Length of Time: ​2 days

2 lessons 30-40 minutes each

Standards: ​Social Studies Standard 2

Social Studies Standard 1
Creative Arts Standard

Objectives:
Social Studies Standard 2
(Citizenship): Students will recognize their roles and responsibilities in the school and in the
neighborhood.
Objective 2

Social Studies Standard 1

Students will identify and list responsibilities in the school and in the neighborhood.
Describe and practice responsible behavior inherent in being a good citizen in the school (e.g.,
safety, right to learn) and neighborhood.

Speaking and Listening Standard 1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts
with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at
a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through
multiple exchanges.
c. Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
Social Studies Standard 1:​ Students will recognize and describe how schools and
neighborhoods are both similar and different.

Objective 2:​ ​Recognize and identify the people and their roles in the school and neighborhood.
Explain how these roles change over time.
a. List and discuss how neighborhoods change over time ​(e.g., new businesses,
new neighbors, ​technology​, and rural one-room schools).
Art Standard 1, Objective 2: Explore the use of materials and tools to create works of art or
design; use art materials, tools, and equipment in a safe way; and identify and ​classify
uses of everyday objects through drawings, diagrams, sculptures, or other visual
means​.

Lesson 1:
Materials:
● Transportation: Then and Now​ by Argentina Palacios
● Things Change worksheet
● Pencils- optional colors if finished
● Strips of colored paper
● Book What if Everybody Did That by Ellen Javernick
● Overhead cam
● Whiteboard/smartboard

Essential Questions: ​How do machines and transportation improve over time?

Is the way you get to school different than how it was in the 1920s?

Personal Objectives: ​I want the students to understand the differences and similarities
between long ago and today in the world and how transportation has improved or changed
over time.

Vocabulary:
● transportation
● modern
● old fashioned
● current
● past
● present
● now
● then
● locomotive
● gliders
 ● engine
● motor
● future*

*(explain what future means and how it relates to inventions improving, but do not include
futuristic machines in lesson)*

Funds of Knowledge Connections: ​Students will reflect and add on their own knowledge on
what transportation they use and what machines they are familiar with either from the past or
current times.

Adaptations for EL:

Write on the board and say what the lesson plan is, what the objectives are and what the final
drawings of transportation machines might look like.
Provide frequent opportunities for interaction and discussion
Constantly use scaffolding strategies throughout lesson
Associate students’ background experiences throughout lesson
Engage students fully in the assignment and activities

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs:

Student will be given a checklist of what needs to be done and order it needs to be done if
necessary.
If needed, a student can work with me to tell me what the picture displayed is like during
current times
Extra time would be given to finish the assignment if needed.
Reduce the amount of work from the normal assignment if needed.

DAP:
The guide incorporates multiple areas of the curriculum (integrated learning).
Begins with an assessment of prior knowledge.
Assessment drives the design, is ongoing, aligned with the curriculum, and completed in the
context of authentic problem solving.
Instruction is scaffolded from the zad to the zpd.
Students from a wide range of abilities are able to participate successfully throughout.
Accommodations are made to include all students.
Students express their understanding through multiple methods; concepts are taught using
multiple techniques.

Note: ​Students will already have studied inventions and read a story about Thomas Edison.
They will understand the concept of things changing over time and improvements.
 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TEACHER RESPONSIBILI
TIES OF
STUDENTS
Phase I​: Key vocabulary will be introduced and Engage with
Exploration and Explanation assessed. the concepts
Concept Development Teach vocabulary relating to transportation and through
machines in a t-chart on whiteboard (i.e: discussion of
7 minutes modern, current, and now all mean newer; old vocabulary.
fashioned, past and then all mean older;
improvement can change machines; curiosity 1. Answer
and imagination can change machines). questions
Discuss story vocab. List machines and about how
concepts: Engine, wagons, horses, bicycles, they use
ships, cruise ships, buggies, cars, trains, gliders, transportation
airplanes, locomotive, travel, device. .
1. ​Assess prior knowledge​, ask students what Answer
transportation they use to get to school, go to questions
the park. Ask students if they know what about how
students used to get to school back in the they may have
1920s and before. Cars? Wagons? Bicycles? used
Walking? Horses? transportation
2.​ Interactively​ engage students in story book to get to
Transportation Then and Now. Ask questions school in old
throughout. Ask students how machines are times.
improved over time to be what they are today.
3.​ Afterwards, Interactively​ ask what did 2. Listen to
people do to machines to improve them? (i.e story on
prompts: cars now have 4 wheels, an engine transportation
was added to cars or trains instead of horses, then and now,
rubber wheels instead of wooden, running answer
shoes instead of hard shoes, skinnier trains, questions
different materials like plastic, metal or glass, relating to
some boats have motors.) book.

3. Interact and
discuss how
machines
improve and
why.
Transition to Phase II: 1. ​Review ​Phase I concepts interactively we will 1. Engage in
Review review what differences modern/current types review
Phase II Expectations of transportation have compared to older types
of transportation. 2. Engage in
1 minute 2. Phase II ​exercise​— Students will talk in pairs pair share
(whisper to a friend) their favorite type of
modern transportation and if they think it has
changed from long ago.
QUALITATIVE SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY--THE TEACHER WILL NO LONGER BE TEACHING THE
WHOLE CLASS AS ONE UNIT. EVERY STUDENT NOW TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING
OUT THE CONCEPT, STRATEGY, SKILL, ETC.
Phase II: 1. Students will help the teacher match pictures 1. Engage with
Guided Practice of old types of transportation with modern Phase II match
One-on-One Differentiation ones. game as
Formative Assessment https://www.educaplay.com/en/learningresour independently
Plans for early finishers ces/4332650/html5/then_and_now.htm#​! as possible.
Closure 2. Release responsibility by allowing students to
volunteer to do independently. 2. Volunteer
3. Scaffold on students zpds-- allow students to to help match
6 minutes tell what transportation or machines they have correct
experience with (how they get to school, how modern
they get to grandparents or relatives homes, picture with
how they go on vacation or to the park OR what old fashioned
old fashioned machines they are familiar with). picture
4. If feedback indicates class-wide confusion,
back up to Phase I and work with the whole 3. Request
class to further clarify concepts further
5. Describe how machines need to have the scaffolding—a
right parts. Ask students what parts of an s needed
airplane are necessary to have in a drawing of
an airplane? What about a bicycle, or car? 4. Participate
Allow students to compare similarities between in review
old and new types of transport (i.e. trains
always have tracks, always two wheels on bike, 5. Volunteer
always steering wheel on car, always wings on to answer
plane, always body of a boat) in pair share. questions on
Review how present types of transportation what parts are
should look like present types, not future types. needed to use
6. At the close of Phase II, interactively review a machine.
what we should include in a drawing of a
modern type of transportation. (Draw your 6. Able to
parent’s car, draw an airplane you have gone understand
on or seen, draw your own bicycle with pedals what to
 or training wheels, draw a cruise ship or boat include in a
that you have seen). Clarify again not to draw modern
futuristic machines, but modern/current drawing of a
machines that are around now. machine.
Share with a
7. Interactively review what a student may partner what
include in their sentence that asks what they need to
machine has improved the most over time. put in a
Have them look at pictures and explain what drawing if
type of transportation they think has improved they are
the most and why? Accept volunteers to needing to
answer out loud. draw a
modern
airplane

7. Volunteer
to explain
which type of
transportation
they think has
improved the
most and why.
Transition to Phase III​: 1. Review concepts taught in Phase I and have 1. Engage in
Review and Phase III students prepare to draw pictures of current review of old
Expectations types of transportation and prepare to form a fashioned
sentence explaining which type of types of
transportation they think has changed or transportation
improved the most over the years. and how
Assess how students do on their own and improvement
accept volunteers to show their drawings to the changes them
class. to be modern
or current
types of
transportation
.
QUALITATIVE SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY—STUDENTS WILL NEXT WORK AS INDEPENDENTLY
AS APPROPRIATE
 Phase III​: Independent Independently​ students will complete their Independently
Practice Summative drawings of modern types of transportation complete
Assessment and complete their sentences explaining which drawings of
type has changed the most over time. modern types
6 minutes 2. Scaffold if necessary of
3. Assess work by reviewing the drawings and transportation
sentence they complete. See if the pictures relating to old
they drew matched the right type of old fashion types
fashioned transportation being shown next to of
it. transportation

If student has finished early they may color the

drawings they made. Complete
sentence
explaining
which type of
transportation
they think has
changed the
most over the
years.

Lesson 2:
Essential Questions:
What is good citizenship?
What are ways we can show good citizenship?
Why is being a good citizen important?
What would our school or community be like if people were not good citizens?
What would our community be like without rules and respect?
Do you have a power to make a positive difference in your community or school?

Personal Objectives: ​I would like the students to understand what being a good citizen is and how to
make a positive difference in their community or school.

Vocabulary:

● citizen
● good citizen
● community
 ● respect
● responsibility

Funds of Knowledge Connections: ​Students will reflect and add on their own knowledge and
experience of what being a good citizen is.

Adaptations for EL:

Write on the board and say what the lesson plan is, what the objectives are and what they might write
on their strips of paper.
Allow students to draw pictures instead of write words.
Provide frequent opportunities for interaction and discussion.
Constantly use scaffolding strategies throughout lesson.
Associate students’ background experiences throughout lesson.
Engage students fully in the assignment and activities.

Adaptations for Students with Special Needs:

Student will be given a checklist of what needs to be done and order it needs to be done if necessary.
Students will have the opportunity to draw pictures of their actions on strips of paper instead of
words.
If needed, a student can work with me to verbally tell me what action they want to write.
Extra time would be given to finish the assignment if needed.
Reduce the amount of work from the normal assignment if needed.

DAP:
The guide incorporates multiple areas of the curriculum (integrated learning).
Begins with an assessment of prior knowledge.
Assessment drives the design, is ongoing, aligned with the curriculum, and completed in the context of
good citizenship.
Instruction is scaffolded from the zad to the zpd.
Students from a wide range of abilities are able to participate successfully throughout.
Accommodations are made to include all students.
Students express their understanding through multiple methods; concepts are taught using multiple
techniques.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TEACHER RESPONSIBILITIES OF

STUDENTS
Phase I​: 1. Students are gathered on rug: ​[Teacher Engage with the
Exploration and finishes soda and asks students what to do concepts through
Explanation with empty container (pretends to throw on discussion of the
Concept Development the ground)] Students will guide teacher to teachers bad action.
recycle the can. Ask students what if everyone
15 minutes threw their cans on the floor? What would the
world look like?

2. Tell students you will be discussing the 2. Explore what a citizen

character trait citizenship with them today. is.
Explain what a citizen is- a person living in our
community or country.

Ask the following questions and call on

different students for answers. Below each
question are examples of the type of responses
you are looking for. You may need to rephrase
students’ answers or guide them along.

3. Ask if they know what good citizenship is? 3. Answer questions and
Emphasize the word ‘good’: be able to explain your
1. Being responsible and respectful to people, reasoning about what a
animals, and the environment. good citizen is.
2. Caring about your community and country.
3. Being informed about the needs within your
school and community.
4. Doing your best to make your home, school,
and community a better place.

4. (Ask) What are ways you can show good 4. Give examples of how
citizenship? you can show good
1. Follow the rules and obey laws at school, citizenship.
home and in your community.
2. Respect authority, e.g., parents, teachers,
police officers and other community helpers.
3. Participate in activities to improve your
community and the environment, e.g., pick up
litter, recycle, and plant trees and flowers.
4. Be a good neighbor and volunteer to help
others.
5. Donate food or clothing to help someone in
need.
7. Use kind words and good manners in all
situations.

5.(Ask) Why is being a good citizen important?

 1. We need good citizens to make our school 5. Expand on why you
and community better for everyone. think it’s important to be
2. It is our duty and obligation as American a good citizen.
citizens to do our part.

6. As I read this story, I want you to listen to

the story, but I also want you to look at the 6. Understand
pictures. I’m going to read the whole story and directions.
afterward I will ask you what you noticed.

7.​ Interactively​ Read book that teaches a

lesson about citizenship (What if Everybody Did
That by Ellen Javernick ) 
 7. Listen carefully to
story, be able to listen
8. (Ask) What do you think our school and and look at pictures
community would be like if people were not
good citizens? What if they did not obey rules 8. Reflect on book and
and respect one another? answer what our
1. Everything would be total chaos: We would community would look
not be able to learn anything at school, crime like without good
would take over in the streets, traffic accidents citizens or rules/laws.
would be everywhere because people would
not follow traffic signals and speed limits,
discarded trash and garbage would fill the
streets etc…

9. (Ask) Do you think you have the power to

make a positive difference in your community? 9. Believe that you have
the power to make a
positive difference.
Transition to Phase II: 1. ​Review ​Phase I concepts interactively ​after 1. Engage in review.
Review the story. ​Ask what good citizen actions are.
Phase II Expectations
2. Phase II ​exercise​— We will write down good 2. Understand
acts on board for students to refer to on their expectations.
own later. Understand what good
Once there are ~ 10 good acts we will begin to citizen actions are.
write a few on strips of paper as an example on
overhead projector and then staple together to
show students what final result will look like.
 QUALITATIVE SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY--THE TEACHER WILL NO LONGER BE TEACHING THE WHOLE
CLASS AS ONE UNIT. EVERY STUDENT NOW TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARRYING OUT THE
CONCEPT, STRATEGY, SKILL, ETC.
Phase II: 1. Have students think/pair/share to “explain a 1. Engage with Phase II
Guided Practice good act you may have done in the past. exercise by sharing good
One-on-One Picking up litter, recycling, giving to those who citizen actions said by
Differentiation don’t have anything or the homeless, donating, partner.
Formative Assessment volunteering to help others, planting trees,
Plans for early finishers etc., are some examples. Once we have all
Closure shared I will go around and ask you what your
partner said so make sure to remember.”
15 minutes

2. Release responsibility by allowing students 2. Listen as others share.

to share what their partner said and write
actions on board.

Read through some actions and open over

head camera.

3. Scaffold on students zpds-- Pick out one 3. Request further

example that a student did and write this scaffolding—as needed
action on a strip of paper. Also explain to a few
that if you cannot yet write a sentence you are
to draw a picture of the action on the strip of
paper.

4. If feedback indicates class-wide confusion,

back up to Phase I and work with the whole 4. Participate in review.
class to further clarify concepts.

5. At the close of Phase II, interactively show

students the strips of paper and how at the 5. Understand how they
end you will link them all together to create a will write their actions or
chain of good citizenship actions. actions of others on
strips of paper.

Transition to Phase III​: 1. Instruct students that you will put strips at 1. Engage in review of
Review and Phase III the center of their table, “you are to grab one what they might put in a
Expectations strip at a time and write your name on the solution box to a
 back”. Tell students they are to “draw or write problem given.
a good citizen action on their strip of paper. Volunteer to share.
You can use the good acts we described on the Understand
board, good acts that you have seen other expectations.
people do or done yourself, or good acts that
you would like to do.”. “If you finish one, make
another!”

2. Ask a student what they might choose as 2. Review and share

their action to write on the strips of paper. Try what they might put on
to select a student who is typically at grade their strip of paper.
level and a student who is typically below
grade level for understanding.

3. Tell students at the end of their time they 3. Understand

will stack up their links at the center of the expectations for end of
table again and come to the carpet. activity.
QUALITATIVE SHIFT IN RESPONSIBILITY—STUDENTS WILL NEXT WORK AS INDEPENDENTLY AS
APPROPRIATE
Phase III​: Independently​ students will complete their Independently complete
Independent Practice good action links. sentences with good
15 minutes actions on strips of
2. Early finishers will keep doing more links paper.
until time is up. 2. Early finishers will
keep making more strips
Summative Assessment 3. After peers have finished and time is up they with new actions.
can return to the carpet. 3. Listen for cue to go to
carpet.
4. At carpet students will share why it’s 4. Engage in wrap up
important to be a good citizen again.

5. Students will talk in pairs about what they 5. Pair share about what
learned about their responsibilities. they learned.

6. If time permits teach students to repeat a 6. Repeat pledge.

comment:
“Let’s take the Citizenship Pledge: As a good
citizen, I will care for and respect others. I will
help my community, and I will encourage my
friends do the same.”
7. Assess work by reviewing each child’s link
and what they wrote. Also continuously assess
through observation.