Decision+Making+in+Our+Community

All activities in this unit are designed to take approx. 15-20 minutes and can be done as a center. There are also lots of menus for you and/or your students to pick and choose from. Of course, you can have them complete them all! I also have NOT included 5 days each week for Social Studies. This is provide time to teach Science as well as make it easier to incorporate into our guided reading centers in our LA block.

//3.9E - Explain the importance of the consent of the governed to the functions of the local government//. //3.10A - Identify characteristics of good citizenship such as a belief in justice, truth, equality, and responsibility for the common good//. //3.10C - Identify and explain the importance of acts of civic responsibility, including obeying laws and voting//
 * __Week 1__**

Day 1 Here's a video on United Streaming: [|Understanding Good Citizenship]

Day 2 Social Studies text pp. 110 - 113. Students complete this graphic organizer: [|rights and responsibilities teacher copy.docx] [|rights and responsibilities student copy.docx]

This portion of the unit correlates well to "Character Traits" that we'll be studying in Reading! Please use the "6 pillars of Character" and your students' agendas as center or whole class activites. Each pillar has a menu of choices to choose from. [|Responsibility.docx] [|Citizenship.docx] [|caring.docx] [|Trustworthiness.docx] [|fairness.docx] [|respect.docx] The "Character in the Classroom" [|character in the classroom.doc]worksheet can be used as an assessment once you've covered each of the pillars.
 * __Weeks 2 & 3__**

Here are the 6 Pillar's Menu options typed up as center task cards if you'd like them! [|6 Pillars Center Task Cards.doc]

__**Week 4**__ //3.11A - Give examples of community changes that result from individual or group decisions// //`3.11B - identify examples of actions individuals and groups can take to improve the community 3.11C - Identify examples fo nonprofit and/or civic organizations such as the Red Cross and explain how they serve the common good.//

Day 1 The Social Studies textbook has a story "Peace and Bread: The Story of Jane Adams." It starts on page 68. After reading the text, students pretend they are Jane Adams. Ask them to write a persuasive letter to a person asking them to volunteer their time to help at Hull House. They could ask the volunteer to help teach people English, teach classes to help people become citizens of the United States, provide money or food to help people, provide their time as daycare workers, or to build a playground for those kids to play on.

Day 2 The Social Studies textbook pg 74-77. Be sure to have students read about Virginia Ramirez and how she became a community leader. Then have students develop a profile of the qualities and characteristics they believe make an effective community leader. They can do this in the form of a "WANTED" poster. Here's an example: [|wanted poster.doc]

Day 3 Students can describe how a leader in our Teravista community reflects the profile they've developed. Examples would include: teacher, counselor, principal, librarian, PRO Center parent, WatchDog Dad, PTA member, etc.