How Can I Be a Good Citizen A CrossDisciplinary TransitionFocused Unit for 3rd

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How Can I Be a Good Citizen?A Cross-Disciplinary
Transition-Focused Unit for 3rd 4th graders

• By Lindsey Cecala
• Spring 2007

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The Students

• 2 students have cochlear implants and the rest
  use bilateral hearing aids
• Ethnic Diversity African American, Caucasian,
  and Amish
• Additional Needs learning disabilities, ADHD,
  and obsessive compulsive disorder

• 3rd and 4th grade
• 2 students are hard of hearing
• Use ASL and speech to communicate
• 5 students are severe/profoundly deaf
• Communicate through ASL

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Communication Levels

• Language Proficiency Levels
• All students fall between P-level 5 and 6
• 4th graders communicate on the P-6 level
• their ability to describe abstract ideas in sign
  language and in speech
• appropriately provide enough background
  information to set up the concept which places
  them at this level.
• 3rd graders communicate on the P-5 level
• can communicate efficiently one on one in class
• have the ability to show the relationship between
  events
• not yet mastered the skill of hypothetical
  situations in setting up or answering correctly
  statements or questions of that nature
• Occasionally they do not appropriately provide
  prior information about a topic which can cause
  communication breakdowns, but are easily repaired
  through clarifying questions.

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Transition Needs

• Life-Centered Career Education competencies
• Daily Living Skills
• 7. Exhibiting Responsible Citizenship
• 7.32 Demonstrate knowledge of citizen rights and
  responsibilities
• Personal-Social Skills
• 11. Acquiring Self-Confidence
• 11.45 Express feelings of self-worth
• 12. Achieving Socially Responsible Behavior
• 12.51 Develop respect for the rights properties
  of others
• 13. Maintaining Good Interpersonal Skills
• 13.56 Demonstrate listening responding skills
• 13.58 Make maintain friendships

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The Classroom

• Language Arts (reading and writing) classroom
  with appropriate instruction
• Based on the Fairview Literacy Curriculum program
• Students receive instruction through this Bi/Bi
  program in ASL and speech in this self contained
  classroom
• Pulled out for specials (gym, art, library, and
  music) and science class with an interpreter

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Students Abilities

• Reading
• Use of Fairview Reading and Dolch words to decode
  vocabulary
• Easily become frustrated with large amounts of
  text
• Tend to focus primarily on the pictures or
  illustrations for meaning
• Reading levels ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 3

• Writing
• Possess the ability to put their thoughts onto
  paper
• Struggle with creating correct English sentences
  in grammar and spelling.
• All students can sign their writing but most
  require further questions
• Know resources for assistance (dictionary, word
  wall, asking the teacher)
• Writing levels ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 3

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Specific Needs

• Communication need to be clear so that all
  students can understand
• Use of instructional sign language instead of
  conversational sign.
• Instruction needs to be effective and adaptable
  for the different grades, learning, and
  communication levels.
• Behavior will need to be monitored, making sure
  that correcting problems isnt consuming class
  time
• Behavioral intervention program is being used
  effectively.
• The lessons must be provided through
• Hands on
• Visual
• Student centered approach.

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Comprehensive Unit Goals

• Students will assess their own interests and
  abilities and determine how they can be a good
  citizen
• Unit Objectives
• Discover an applicable definition of what it
  means to be a good citizen
• Identify personal activities and things they
  enjoy
• Students will recognize different forms of
  citizenship and discover how to apply it to their
  life
• Unit Objectives
• Identifying citizenship in school and with
  friends
• Discovering different types of citizenship in
  their community

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Assessment Criteria
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Language Arts Standards Reading
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Language Arts Standards Writing
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Language Arts Standards Research
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Social Studies
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Unit Organizer
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Behavioral Plan

• Good citizen container
• Each time students were caught being a good
  citizen they were given a strip of paper to which
  they would write their name and place it in the
  container
• Once a week, a name would be drawn and the winner
  could choose a new book from the book box
• This program reinforced the unit theme and their
  good behavior catch them being good
  philosophy.

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Unit Introduction

• On the first day, students will enter the
  classroom to find a letter on their desk with
  their name on the front of it.
• Dont allow them to open the envelopes!
• All morning have the envelopes sit on their desk,
  getting the students interested to see what is
  inside.
• Finally allow them to open it.
• Inside they will find a letter from a child in
  another country that wants to know about what it
  means to be a citizen in America.
• It will explain that he is moving to America soon
  and needs the students help to learn about
  becoming a good citizen in the United States.
• Explain to the students that we are going to
  study about how to become a good citizen so that
  as a class we can help!

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Lesson 1

• 1. Relationship of lesson to unit This lesson
  fulfills the Acquisition of Vocabulary and
  Writing Process Academic Standards and the Unit
  Objectives of Discovering an applicable
  definition of what it means to be a good citizen
• 2. Behavioral Objectives Within the classroom,
  students will apply the definition of a good
  citizen to their life by identifying one new
  activity to do in 2 different domains at home
  and with their friends.
• 3. Materials Needed Computers, webquest link
  (see http//www.yorkville.k12.il.us/webquests/webq
  freymeier/webqsfreymeier.html), digital camera
  and printer, construction paper, markers,
  completed bulletin board, schedule computer lab
  time, dictionaries for each student
• 4. Key Vocabulary citizen, chores, friend,
  webquest, manners,
• 5. Key teaching methods and conceptual links
  The lesson is teacher guided and allows students
  to navigate through the lesson at their own pace
  and choose how they want to learn more about the
  topic. Students should have an overall
  understanding that they are a citizen of the
  United States (possibly not conceptually grasping
  the word citizen, but knowing that they live in
  America).
• 6. Prerequisite skills, knowledge, and
  experiences The ability to navigate on the
  internet and use a computer, ability to read
  print off of the computer, and recalling previous
  experiences with friends and chores at home.

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Lesson 1 cont.

• 7. Teaching Procedure
• A. Introduction Students will use a KWL chart as
  a class to go through the first 2 columns to see
  what they already know about being a good citizen
  and what they want to know.
• Teaching Steps
• Choose student groups
• Introduce web quest and demonstrate it for the
  students
• Introduce the flag strips to each student and
  explain that for each assignment completed they
  will receive a strip to make their own flag
• Students will create their folders in groups,
  using the web quest for definitions and providing
  time for students to decorate (flag strip when
  complete)
• Good citizen with chores instruction through
  the web quest then students will complete chores
  assignment (flag strip when complete)
• Good citizens with friends. In the computer lab,
  have students navigate through the list and
  discover how to be a good citizen with their
  friends at school and at home. Each student will
  write one goal for themselves on how to be a
  better friend. Have them write it out neatly and
  save it for posting on the bulletin board.
  (Provide flag strip when complete)
• I am a good citizen because writing assignment
  (provide flag strip when complete)
• 8. Wrap up and summary
• Post students writing on board with their
  picture and discuss their perceptions.

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Lesson 2

• 1. Relationship of lesson to unit This lesson
  fulfills the Academic Content Standards of
  Reading Process, Research, and Citizen Rights and
  Responsibilities, and the Unit Objectives of
  Identifying citizenship in school and with
  friends and Discovering different manners of
  citizenship in their community
• 2. Behavioral Objectives Within the classroom,
  students will apply the definition of a good
  citizen to their life by identifying one new
  approach in 2 different domains at school and
  within the community.
• 3. Materials Needed Markers, crayons, colored
  pencils, roll of paper, poster board, computer
  lab time, sentence strips, community worksheets,
  Earth Day quiz print off, flag letters (enough
  sets for each child), glue, white paper
• 4. Key Vocabulary citizen, community, Earth,
  rules, planet, rhyming
• 5. Key teaching methods and conceptual links
  The lesson is teacher guided and allows students
  to navigate through the lesson at their own pace
  and choose how they want to learn more about the
  topic. Students should have a basic definition of
  citizenship and be able to link this new
  information to the old concept.
• 6. Prerequisite skills, knowledge, and
  experiences Understanding of rules and why they
  are important, as well as an understanding of
  their community (social studies)

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Lesson 2 cont.

• 7. Teaching Procedure
• A. Introduction Using a large roll of paper,
  have students write out as many school rules as
  possible
• Teaching Steps
• Good citizens follow the rules and respect
  others at school instruction from web quest
  (http//www.yorkville.k12.il.us/webquests/webqfrey
  meier/webqsfreymeier.html)
• Students create posters displaying one school
  rule (provide flag strip)
• Good citizens help to keep their community clean
  and safe instruction from web quest
• Fill in community strips and handout post in
  the hall (provide flag strip)
• Draw a picture showing what they can do to help
  the environment
• Good citizens take care of their country's air,
  land, water instruction from web quest
•  Complete Earth Day Quiz (Provide flag strip
  when complete)
• 8. Wrap up and Summary Discuss citizenship and
  Earth Day issues. Add phonics discussion of the
  word citizenship. Students will have small
  cards with each letter and discover different
  word patterns and rhyming words. Link to related
  unit words and themes.

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Lesson 3

• 1. Relationship of lesson to unit This lesson
  fulfills the Academic Content Standards of
  Research and Citizen Rights and Responsibilities,
  and the Unit Goal that students will recognize
  different forms of citizenship and discover how
  to apply it to their life.
• 2. Behavioral Objectives In the classroom,
  students will be able to correctly identify the
  symbols within our government using the
  appropriate vocabulary word with 75 accuracy.
• 3. Materials Needed Citizenship video, VCR and
  TV, print outs of symbols, cards of symbols, hat,
  graphic organizer, American Flag paper,
• 4. Key Vocabulary citizenship, government,
  symbols
• 5. Key teaching methods and conceptual links
  The lesson is teacher guided and allows students
  to navigate through the lesson at their own pace
  and choose how they want to learn more about the
  topic. Students should have a basic definition of
  citizenship and be able to link this new
  information to the old concept. This should also
  be building from concepts that they have learned
  about the United States within their Social
  Studies class.
• 6. Prerequisite skills, knowledge, and
  experiences Understanding of symbols/pictures,
  ability to read over text and pick out
  appropriate information, how to use a graphic
  organizer

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Lesson 3 cont.

• 7. Teaching Procedure
• Introduction Show pictures of real symbols
  online
• Teaching Steps
• Groups will choose their two symbols to research
• Each group will receive a picture of their symbol
  and a graphic organizer, but they must print out
  the research from the internet (web quest)
• Students must find 5 key facts about their
  symbol. They can highlight the important
  information then transfer it to the organizer in
  their own words.
• When all are complete, students must present
  their symbol to the class and
• Using the same symbols, as a class students will
  research the Declaration of Independence and all
  that it stands for the country
• They will write their own Declaration of
  Independence, incorporating aspects of the world
  around them
• 8. Wrap up and Summary
• Have the students complete a government symbols
  matching assessment.
• Review the importance and meaning of government
  symbols for citizens.

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Lesson 4

• 1. Relationship of lesson to unit This lesson
  fulfills the Academic Content Standards of
  Reading Processes, Writing Applications, and
  Writing Conventions.
• 2. Behavioral Objectives In the classroom,
  students will read through the story Mrs Rumphius
  and fill out matching book report form, correctly
  answering the questions with 75 accuracy.
• 3. Materials Needed Mrs. Rumphius book, weekly
  spelling list, computers and internet, print outs
  of book reports, follow along packets for DRTA
  (Directed Reading Thinking Activity), 1 page from
  the story on the overhead
• 4. Key Vocabulary citizen, lupines, community
• 5. Key teaching methods and conceptual links
  The lesson is teacher guided and allows students
  to navigate through the lesson at their own pace
  and choose how they want to learn more about the
  topic. Students should have a basic definition of
  citizenship and be able to link this new
  information to the old concept. They should also
  be building from concepts of community that was
  taught in their social studies class.
• 6. Prerequisite skills, knowledge, and
  experiences Use of a graphic organizer (book
  report form), ability to conceptually understand
  a story signed then matching with English text

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Lesson 4 cont.

• 7. Teaching Procedure
• Introduction Provide new spellings words for the
  week, in which the list is compiled of words
  related to the new book Mrs Rumphius, as well as
  citizenship.
• Teaching Steps
• Provide a pre-reading organizer to each student
  and have them go through the book looking at key
  vocabulary and pictures
• As a class, go through the book having it read
  aloud and interpreted for students to receive it
  through both visual and auditory means.
• Using a large piece of paper and pictures from
  the book, have students sequence the story and
  add comments to each scene underneath.
• Students will complete the book reports
  individually using the book and paper sequence as
  references.
• Using the web quest, students will research the
  lupine flower, then will draw their own picture.
  (Provide flag strip when complete)
• 8. Wrap up and Summary
• Discuss concepts of perspective from the book.
• Administer spelling test with the citizenship
  list at the end of the week (Provide flag strip
  when complete)

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Lesson 5

• 1. Relationship of lesson to unit This lesson
  fulfills the Academic Content Standards of
  Writing Processes, Writing Applications, and
  Writing Conventions and the Units Objectives of
  Discovering an applicable definition of what it
  means to be a good citizen and Identifying
  personal activities and things they enjoy
• 2. Behavioral Objectives In the classroom,
  students will choose their final project and
  complete it correctly with all of the
  requirements included.
• 3. Materials Needed computer and internet,
  letter from penpal, paper, colored paper,
  coloring materials,
• 4. Key Vocabulary citizenship, flag, thank you
  letter, beautiful
• 5. Key teaching methods and conceptual links
  The lesson is teacher guided and allows students
  to navigate through the lesson at their own pace
  and choose how they want to learn more about the
  topic. Students should have a basic definition of
  citizenship and be able to link this new
  information to the old concept. Students can
  build from previous knowledge for the project
  from other subjects (etc. flowers from science,
  flag from social studies)
• 6. Prerequisite skills, knowledge, and
  experiences Understanding of the word
  citizenship and how its applied to their own
  life, knowledge of the storyline in Miss
  Rumphius, and an overall concept of different
  ways a flag can be created.

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Lesson 5 cont.

• 7. Teaching Procedure
• Introduction Start off the day with another
  letter on the students desks from their secret
  pen pal. This will serve as encouragement for
  them to finish the final project.
• Teaching Steps
• Using the web quest, have students chose 1 of the
  final projects to complete in their group (
  design a flag, write a letter to Mrs. Rumphius,
  design a class flower) (Provide flag strip when
  complete)
• After each group is finished, allow time for them
  to present their project to the rest of the
  class. Explain why they picked that one and how
  they designed their chosen object.
• Have students review their first I am a good
  citizen because writing sample, and write a new
  one incorporating all the new information that
  they have learned, including how they can improve
  (Provide flag strip when complete)
• Students will access web quest for the last time
  and make sure they have completed everything.
  Print off the certificate of completion at the
  end.
• Have students get their flag down from the
  bulletin board and assemble it together with the
  rest of the papers from their citizenship
  folders. Collect all the papers and spiral bind
  the sheets, creating a small book for each child
  with all their and their classmates work
  throughout the unit. Make an extra copy to send
  to their pen pal.
• 8. Wrap up and Summary
• As a class, complete the final column of the KWL
  chart to see how much they learned throughout the
  unit. Compare the columns and identify if their
  wants to know questions were answered.

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IEP Accommodations and Assessments

• Throughout assessments, all students receive the
  following accommodations
• Written text to be provided through American Sign
  Language
• Minimum 75 accuracy on all reading scores
• Minimum 75 accuracy on all writing scores

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Unit Outcomes
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Results for 3rd graders

• Student 1 Overall Performance
  
  Student 2 Overall
  Performance
• Student 3 Overall Performance
  
  Student 4 Overall
  Performance

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Overall Student Goals for the Unit

• To correctly sign the Pledge of Allegiance and
  know what it means
• Understand the importance of following the rules
  in and out of school
• After reading, students will be able to
  correctly answer comprehension question, identify
  key characters, settings, and other important
  information throughout the story.

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Unit Summary Results Overall Positives

• Students became extremely excited and involved in
  all lessons for this unit
• I continued adding lesson and extended
  instruction 5 weeks longer!
• They performed really well through reading of
  Mrs Rumphius sequencing activity went very
  well!
• They loved working with the web quest and using
  technology throughout the lessons.
• Using the bulletin board to post flag strips made
  progress visible to the students.

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Unit Summary Results things to change

• Group work students struggled to collaborate
  with each other through activities
• Over-planned lessons each lesson took a few
  weeks to complete
• Because they were posted on bulletin board,
  students were not able to take home final flags
  (which they wanted)

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Evidence of Achievement

• Students confidence increased throughout
  instruction
• During pre-assessment, students were timid and
  refused to complete the test
• During post-assessment, students were excited to
  show how much they learned
• Each student improved or remained constant in
  each area from pre- to post- assessment

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Connections for the future

• Applicable instruction for students to be better
  citizens at the present time and in the future
• Memorizing understanding the Pledge of
  Allegiance
• Helping their community
• Following rules/laws
• Being a good friend
• Helping out with chores
• Knowing their government symbols

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References

• The web quest used for this unit was
• http//www.yorkville.k12.il.us/webquests/webqfreym
  eier/webqsfreymeier.html