Subject and Level: 6th Grade Social Studies Ancient Greece

Learner Description - The learners are a group of 25 6th grade Social Studies students including 10 mainstreamed special education students. Also participating in the project will be a group of 6 self-contained special education students.

Overview -Students will be presented with background information on Ancient Greece through the following activities: creating a map, textbook information,and participation in Advisory Olympics. Students will also work in groups to create a project about a specific topic they have chosen to research in relation to Ancient Greece. After the background information has been completed, students will be given the following challenge: We would like to showcase ancient Greece for the fifth grade students. What can we do to show the fifth graders about life in Ancient Greece as well as what Social Studies is like in sixth grade at MacArthur. The fifth graders know very little if anything about Ancient Greece. Let's combine our required work into some fun. We could do a typical report and read it to the fifth graders, or we could create an exciting and innovative activity. What could we do? The class will brainstorm topics for study and how to present their information based on the challenge given them. Students will be given the opportunity to choose a topic of study.

 Rationale - Purpose of the unit

The sixth grade social studies curriculum is based on the study of ancient civilizations. The purpose of this project is to teach the ancient civilization of Greece in a more interesting way and relate it to society today.

This is an engaged learning project using the following indicators:

The Vision of Learning includes:

• Responsible for learning

• Strategic

• Energized by learning

• Collaborative

The Tasks are:

• Authentic

• Challenging

• Multi-disciplinary

The Assessments are:

• Performance-based

• Seamless and ongoing

• Equitable

Instructional Models are:

• Interactive

• Generative

Learning Context is:

• Collaborative

• Knowledge building

• Empathetic

Grouping is:

• Heterogeneous

• Equitable

Teachers role:

• Facilitator

• Guide

• Co-learner/co-investigator

Student Roles:

• Explorer

• Cognitive apprentice

• Teacher

• Producer

Technology is an important part of this unit because students will:

• Use the internet for research

• Have the opportunity to use the digital camera and / or scanner

• Use word processing for a purpose

• Use technology products (digital camera/scanner pictures) to enhance presentations 

This project is authentic because it gives the students more of an investment in their learning and it gives them an opportunity to showcase what they have learned to younger students . By giving our students the responsibility for teaching each other, the project becomes an authentic experience for them.

Goals

• The use of technology skills that enhance presentations

• Writing, listening and communication skills

• Group interaction

• Knowledge of the civilization of Ancient Greece

National, State benchmarks/Standards addressed:

English/Language Arts Learning Standards

1.B.3a Preview reading materials, make predictions and relate reading to information from other sources.

1.B.3c Continuously check and clarify for understanding (e.g., in addition to previous skills, draw comparisons to other readings).

1.C.3a Use information to form, explain and support questions and predictions.

1.C.3d Summarize and make generalizations from content and relate them to

the purpose of the material.

1.C.3f Interpret tables that display textual information and data in visual formats.

3.A.3 Write compositions that contain complete sentences and effective paragraphs using English conventions.

3.A.4 Use standard English to edit docu-ments for clarity, subject/verb agreement, adverb and adjective agreement and verb tense; proofread for spelling, capitalization and punctuation; and ensure that documents are formatted in final form for submission and/or publication.

3.A.5 Produce grammatically correct docu-ments using standard manuscript specifications for a variety of purposes and audiences.

3.B.3a Produce documents that convey a clear understanding and interpretation of ideas and information and display focus, organization,

elaboration and coherence.

3.B.3b Edit and revise for word choice, organization, consistent point of view and transitions among paragraphs using contem-porary technology and formats suitable for submission and/or publication.

3.B.4a Produce documents that exhibit a range of writing techniques appropriate to purpose and audience, with clarity of focus, logic of organization, appropriate elaboration and support and overall coherence.

3.B.4b Produce, edit, revise and format work for submission and/or publication (e.g., manu-script form, appropriate citation of sources) using contemporary technology.

3.B.4c Evaluate written work for its effective-ness and make recommendations for its improvement.

3.B.5 Using contemporary technology, produce documents of publication quality for specific purposes and audiences; exhibit clarity of focus, logic of organization, appropriate elaboration and support and overall coherence.

5.A.3a Identify appropriate resources to solve problems or answer questions through research.

5.A.4a Demonstrate a knowledge of strategies needed to prepare a credible research report (e.g., notes, planning sheets).

.C.3c Take notes, conduct interviews, organize and report information in oral, visual and electronic formats.

Social Studies Learning Standards

16.A.3b Make inferences about historical events and eras using historical maps and other historical sources.

16.A.3c Identify the differences between historical fact and interpretation.

16.A.4a Analyze and report historical events to determine cause-and-effect relationships.

17.A.1a Identify physical characteristics of places, both local and global (e.g., locations, roads, regions, bodies of water).

17.A.1b Identify the characteristics and pur-poses of geographic representations including maps, globes, graphs, photographs, software, digital images and be able to locate specific places using each.

17.A.2b Use maps and other geographic representations and instruments to gather information about people, places and environments.

17.C.1a Identify ways people depend on and interact with the physical environment (e.g., farming, fishing, hydroelectric power).

17.C.1b Identify opportunities and constraints of the physical environment.

Learning Activities

Students will be given background information on ancient Greece. Background activities include the following: creating a map of Ancient Greece, review the history of Ancient Greece through the use of videos and the textbook and participation in the Advisory Olympics. Class meetings will be held to come up with topics of study for research projects. Students will chose an area of study based on personal interests and form expert groups based on these interests. Each expert group will research their topic using books, encyclopedias, CD Roms, and the internet. After completing their research each expert group will identify five questions they want answered in relation to their topic and create an Inspiration document using their five questions. Other learning activities that the students will experience are:

• Writing and editing skills

• Technology skills involving Hyperstudio, keyboarding, scanning

• Presentation on using the Digital cameras, scanner and Hyperstudio

• Research skills

• Listening skills

• Communication skills

• Cooperation

• Decision making skills

The class decided they wanted to put on a Greek Festival for the fifth grade class. Each research group created a station for the fifth graders to visit. Stations included Greek Names, Greek Mythology, Greek Dance, Greek Clothing, Olympics, Greek Pottery and Architecture. Additional students came dressed as Greek characters and greeted the fifth grade students with a story about their character. Students also brought in a variety of Greek foods for tasting and made a leaf crown for each fifth grader.

 Student Assessment-

What types of assessment will be ongoing?

• Anecdotal records

• Regular group meeting for reflection and planning

How will the students be engaged in their own assessment?

• Student generated rubrics(for projects and presentations)

How can technology be used to aid in assessment?

• To generate student made assessments and projects.

How will students demonstrate their knowledge and skills? (Observations, portfolios, projects, performances, oral reports, paper-&-pencil activities, journals, checklists, student self-assessment, student peer assessment, etc.)

• Inspiration Web

• Oral Presentation of research project

• Content of research project

• Performance at the Greek Festival

Resources

The students will need CD Roms, internet resources, encyclopedias, maps, district adopted social studies textbook, book bags from public libraries, computers, digital-cameras, Hyperstudio and Inspiration. Students will also have teachers, librarians, technology facilitators, the technology coordinator, and the technology director available as resources.

Management

The teacher will manage the students by circulating around the room and assisting children as needed. This will help to keep children on task. The children will also be given check points in which they should complete various requirements (i.e, story board, rough draft of report, etc.) Students with special needs will be provided for through assistance and modifications made by the special education teacher. This project will be completed in an airported classroom with several internet connected laptops and computers. The computers will be treated as a station and children will take turns using them. Use of the computer lab will also be given. Technology resource personnel will be available for support as well. Children that are not using the computers will be using books (textbook, encyclopedias, library books,) or working on other aspects of their projects.

Unit Evaluation

What will I need to do, be aware of, and/or gather while teaching the unit in order to answer these questions:

What was effective?

• The use of the Inspiration program to organize thoughts and ideas

• Allowing the students to form groups based on personal interests

• The use of several different types of materials, medias for research

• Giving some control to the students in the planning of the Greek fest encouraged more personal responsibility for information presented

• Including the students in the evaluation process allowed for clear understanding of expectations ahead of time.

What wasn't effective?

• Even though students were encouraged to use technology in their final projects, they chose not to

• Time constraints made it difficult for students to focus and become fully absorbed in their projects ( by the time they got organized, it was time to go)

• Some students had difficulty working in the group which burdened other members or the group.

• Given the make up of the class (50% special education), students didn't know what to do with the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning. They needed much more teacher control.

• To do this with all social studies students at the same time would be rather difficult to plan, organize and implement given the space and time constraints at MacArthur. The impact would be to great on other teachers subject areas.

What will I do differently next time?

• Require students to do smaller projects incorporating technology to familiarize them with options out there for larger projects.

• Familiarize students with more rubrics so that they can set better standards as well as show students projects and discuss what grade these examples would earn based on the rubric they created.

• Hold a more formal debriefing after the culminating activity.