May/June 2012
Dear Parents:
Welcome to our last advisory of this school year.
Below is what we have covered or will be covering in these last weeks of this
school year.
Kindergarten - Unit 4
April 10 – May 11
Portrait of a Hero
Guiding Questions
• What is a hero? What does a hero look like?
• What characteristics must someone have to be a hero?
• Who are some heroes from American history and in what ways were they
heroic?
• Who are some famous heroes in the world today?
• Could you be a hero? How?
Books to be read this advisory: The Little Red Lighthouse and the Big Gray
Bridge and The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes – looking for
characteristics of heroes
Week 1 – Introduce a Real-Life Hero, the students will not know who this
person is, but that he/she is a hero to me. Students will list
TV/movie/books that they like. Students will be asked about characters and
explain why he/she believes the character is a hero.
Week 2 – Students will decide what character traits make someone a hero. The
students will develop a checklist. Will revisit my real-life hero and add to
the class checklist.
Week 3 – Review what makes a hero. Introduce four historical figures using
portraits. Discuss if they are heroes or not. Discuss Ben Franklin and
Chief Joseph in detail.
Week 4 – Discuss Helen Keller and Jackie Robinson. Complete “Is there a Hero
in you? Activity.
Grade 1 - Unit 4
May 14 – June 14
Mapping Our Worlds
Guiding Questions
• What are maps and how are they used?
• What are the purposes of different kinds of maps?
• What can maps tell us about our environments?
Week 1 – Students will explore what they already know about maps. They will
explore different types of maps – museum maps, park maps, subway maps, maps
from children’s stories (i.e. Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh), as well as
political and geographical maps. Students will begin to make “mental maps”
using National Geographic Society Xpeditions website.
Week 2 –.Students will make maps of the social studies resource room. One
group will map the entire room; the other groups will make maps of smaller
areas within the room. This activity will begin with discussions of what
might or might not be included on each type of map.
Week 3 –Students will view another “mental map”. Then create their own maps
that show routes from i.e. their classroom to the music room
Week 4 – Review various types of maps. Students will be asked to recall the
various types of maps they have viewed and created.
Books to be read will be picked at a later date
Grade 2 - Unit 4
May 14 – June 14
Mapping Our Worlds
Guiding Questions
• What are maps and how are they used?
• What are the purposes of different kinds of maps?
• What can maps tell us about our environments?
Week 1 – Students will explore what they already know about maps. They will
explore different types of maps – museum maps, park maps, subway maps, maps
from children’s stories (i.e. Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh), as well as
political and geographical maps. Students will begin to make “mental maps”
using National Geographic Society Xpeditions website.
Week 2 –.Students will make maps of the social studies resource room. One
group will map the entire room; the other groups will make maps of smaller
areas within the room. This activity will begin with discussions of what
might or might not be included on each type of map.
Week 3 –Compare a series of geographical maps. Looking at maps from the
smallest perspective – a map of DC and moving towards the world. Always
focusing on where DC is on the different maps. The students will have table
talk discussions during each map asking how things on the map are different,
how they are the same etc. Students will be asked to recall the various
types of maps they have viewed and created.
Week 4 – Students will experience how maps have changed over time. They will
see examples of different types of maps i.e. the “Christopher Columbus
Chart”, the “Senex Map of North America” – late 18th century. There will be
table talk discussions on why today’s maps might be different from those of
long ago, what advantages do contemporary mapmakers have that mapmakers in
the past did not?
Books to be read will be listed at a later day
Grade 3 - Unit 4
April 10 – May 11
DC Atlas
Guiding Questions
• What are some of the similarities and differences between atlases?
• What are the components of the DC Atlas? Which are the most
important and why?
• Why do we need a DC atlas?
• How can we use the atlas to create a story about DC?
Week 1 – Students will compare the DC atlas and another atlas in the room.
Identify differences and similarities, table talk, then develop a Venn
diagram for their group and share out. Students will explore that DC Atlas
and make a list of the components. Table talk will be why are these
components important?
Week 2 –.Students will discuss “Why do we need a DC Atlas?”; through table
talks and sharing out. Focus will be on the economy page in the Atlas and
using the information on the page, will discuss questions.
Week 3 –Students will create a story based on the question: “How can we use
the atlas to create a story about DC?
Week 4 – continue work on projects and sharing out.
Story that will be read during the class sessions is The Facttracker
Grade 5 - Unit 4
May 14 – June 14
The First Amendment: What’s Fair in a Free County?
Guiding Questions:
• How does the right to free speech conflict with our responsibility to
consider the rights of others?
• How is the First Amendment interpreted differently in different
contexts?
• Under what conditions is some speech limited and other speech
protected?
Week 1 – Students will listen to a story which revolves around the concept of
free speech. Students will discuss the following questions at their tables –
What behaviors among the characters are in conflict?
Students will decide on the school issue they want to improve (playground,
cafeteria, hallways or other locations) and will be told that the one
important goal for this unit is that they work out some ground rules to
improve the atmosphere .Students will brainstorm suggestions. Questions about
speech will be introduced and students will be given time to write down their
suggestions for ground rules about speech.
Week 2 – Students will review the various clauses and sections of the First
Amendment and then have table talk discussions using questions such as “Does
the Bill of Rights mean that anyone can say anything at any time? And “What
if one person wants to day disturbs the general welfare or someone’s else’s
tranquility?
Week 3 – Students will be asked to figure out what arguments may have been
used on both sides of cases heard before the Supreme Court. They will be
asked to take a stand and say what they think the Supreme Court decided.
Week 4 – Students will look at two related cases in which the Supreme Court
limited the power of the school and supported a student’s right to refuse.
After we discuss both cases and the actual outcome the students will enter a
discussion of how the Bill of Rights interpretations change.
Week 5 – (Hopefully we get here) –Students will return to the opening
discussion. In small groups students will write their proposals for dealing
with problems. They will need to keep their proposals under 45 words.
Lesson plans adopted from EDSITEment! The Best of Humanities on the WEB
.
Hope everyone has a great summer.
laure.hunter@dc.gov