EDUC 321 Social Studies in EL

EDUC 321 Social Studies in EL

Upon Reflection...

I was excited to take a social studies class, because I think that social studies can really be fun to teach and work with. I also believe that it is very important for citizens of the United States to study government, economics and history. Unfortunately many teachers are cutting out social studies in favor of more Language Arts and Math classes. I think that it is a shame to do so, and that much of the Language Arts and Math that students need to learn can come from Social Studies. This class taught me several things that I look forward to using in my classroom.

I learned that Farmington Public Schools are developing topics from the New Mexico Standards and Benchmarks. The New Mexico Standards are guidelines for conglomerate grades, for instance, k-2, 3-5, 6-8. Farmington schools are breaking up the standards into topics that are specific for each grade level. The purpose for doing this is to eliminate holes in student learning. By making sure that students are instructed in all of the areas instead of repeating subjects in the combined grade levels. I am glad that we were exposed to these topics and the processes that the teachers are going through to better serve the students.

One of the first activities that we did was to work in a group, to plan a dream field trip to a region of the United States. I was in the South East region and had fun thinking of all that we could do if we had up to six weeks, an unlimited budget, and twenty students with all the necessary chaperones. Another fun activity that we did was to go to Berg Park and pretend that we were starting a new society. We had to name our settlement, develop a government, an economic system, and create survival tools and art. It was fun and eye opening as to the things that students need to learn in social studies, and as to the creative fun ways that they can be taught.

The best part of the class for me was developing a social studies unit. We were given several of the topics required by the school district. I chose to do a third grade lesson plan. It concerned the history of Farmington, and map skills. I developed a two week lesson plan that I am so excited about and hope to someday be able to use (it is shown here). I wish that we could have had a practicum experience so that I might try some of my ideas and learn more.

It was a good semester and I am grateful for what I learned.

An Example of My Work...

Social Studies Lesson Plan—History of New Mexico and Farmington

Standards addressed: Explain how patterns of culture vary geographically, give specific examples of major works by individuals of various cultures who have contributed significantly to New Mexico. How to use mapping tools to locate or draw places on a map. Use a legend to locate places on a map. Indentify ways people modify their environment and a general history of local community. Vocabulary: mapping tools, compass rose, legend, scale, agriculture, natural resource, history, culture.

Overall objective: The students will make a book that contains work from each of the centers.

Five Centers for week one

Begin each day with a vocabulary word, and a mini lesson concerning one of the centers. End the hour with a skit performed from the acting centers. The students will continually add to the timeline as dates and events are discovered.

Mapping Center:

Materials: vocabulary: mapping tools, compass rose, legend, scale. Laminated maps cut into puzzles. Activity sheets concerning the maps. Procedure: The students will put together large map puzzles and an individual smaller puzzle to put in their book.

Acting Center:

Materials: Box of assorted costumes and props, several short stories or poems about New Mexico, and Farmington, Paper and Pencils. Procedure: The students will choose a literature piece to act out, they must develop the script, make costumes and practice the parts. Add to the book a picture of the actors.

Timeline Center:

Materials: Long paper for timeline, history articles containing significant dates. Procedure: The students will create a personal timeline. They will read three or four articles about Farmington and/or New Mexico that include dates then record on their timeline and on one for the class. Add to their book the timeline.

Listening Center:

Materials: Book on tape of Navajo weavings and/or culture, headphones. Procedure: The students will listen to a book about New Mexico and /or Farmington Culture and read along to it. They then will write about it. Add their response to their book.

Art Center:

Materials: Cardboard looms, assorted yarns, cardboard shuttles, written directions. Procedures: The students will weave a small piece of cloth. Add the weaving to their book.

Second Week Centers: Begin each day with center mini lesson, end each hour with sharing of art projects from center.

Mapping:

Materials: A variety of maps, activity sheets directing students to use compass rose, legend, and scale. Procedures: The students will answer questions on the activity sheets pertaining to the maps, such as identifying State capitol, major cities, parks, public parks, public schools, etc. Add the activity sheet to the book.

Computers:

Materials: computers, activity sheets for students to compare New Mexico to another state. Procedures: The students will use specific internet sights to research New Mexico information, such as state flower, state bird, etc. and find similar information about another state of their choice, they then will write a comparison paragraph. Add the paragraph to their book.

Photos:

Materials: post cards and photos of past Farmington and present Farmington. Procedures: The students will study post cards and photos to study traditional vs. modern-then create a Venn diagram which compares and contrasts the traditional ways of Farmington citizens with their present ways of life. Include food, clothing, housing, employment, transportation, etc. Add the Venn diagram to the book.

Art:

Materials: Art of Georgia O’Keefe, information about the artist in New Mexico, watercolors, art paper.

Procedures: The students will do an artist study and then paint a picture similar to the style of O’Keefe, this will become the front cover of their book.

Listening:

Materials: Picture and short biography of Rudolpho Anaya. Books and tape recording of The Farolitos of Christmas: A New Mexico Christmas Story (1987) by Rudolpho Anaya. Procedure: The students will read about Rudolpho Anaya and then listen to a recording of the book, then draw a picture of Christmas in New Mexico. Add this to their book.

Closing Activity:

Students will bring finger food to share while we do a book walk and all students have the opportunity to share their books, and what they have learned.

America the Beautiful...

America the Beautiful

As I was driving home after having been given this assignment, I thought immediately of using my talents as a fabric artist, to depict my thoughts and feelings about America. I then thought of an essay my son had recently written about the five freedoms contained in the first amendment and what they mean to him, and then I thought about how the most important things in my life, my family, my religion, and my education are all a result of being in America. America the Beautiful and it is Beautiful.

Because I live in America I was free to choose the man I would marry, where we would marry, where we would live to raise our family, how many children we would have and how we would raise them.

Because of American I get to choose to worship God according to the dictates of my own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege to let them worship who, where, or what they may.

Because of America I, a woman, am able to attend school. I am allowed to read, write, speak up, question, contradict, change my mind, and choose my occupation.

America is not perfect, but because it is America, with its many freedoms, it is possible to make it perfect, and at least in my circle of influence that’s what I am trying to do.