Community Helpers
Created by Donita Anderson


ID #: 641

Subject Area: --Choose One--
Grade Level: --Choose One--

Lesson Summary
The purpose of social studies education in the West Liberty Community School District is to enable students to function effectively as citizens of the community, state, and the world. This unit covers many of the performance standards for lower elementary social studies in West Liberty Community School District. It builds background information on the subject of communities, neighborhoods, and community helpers taught in upper grades. This lesson allows students to use the computer as a learning tool and to gain understanding of their role within their family and community. The students are able to gather information from the internet so they can create a report. This activity also allows students to learn about a variety of community helpers and how they help out in communities.





Materials:


-book: 100 Words About Working


-internet resources (bookmarked on computer)


-paper


-bookmarks saved on a disk


-computer word processing resource


-markers, crayons, and pencils


-stapler to bind book


-KWL chart for each student

Learning Objectives and Computer Functions
This lesson plan uses 0 objectives.

Problem
Problem Nature
citizenship and individual responsibily to self, family, and community

Problem Data
located

Notes on Using Data
Students will gather data from the internet websites located by the teacher. Each student summary of their favorite community helper will be put together to make a class book.

Problem Statement
Community helpers keep our community running. You are helpers at home by doing chores and helpers at school by doing your jobs. What kind of helper would you like to be in the community when you get older?

Data Manipulation
Instructions
The learner used computers at level

Integration Strategies
beginner

Organization Strategies
Students will fill out a KWL chart on the community helper of their choice. Before they begin researching their community helper, they will fill out the K section of their chart (what they already know about this community helper). Once this is completed, they will fill out the W section of the chart (what they want to learn about this community helper). Next they will research this community helper to answer their questions and the teacher generated questions stated above. Students will then compare their original ideas to the facts they found to see similarities and differences.

Elaboration Strategies
Students will illustrate their summary. The final product will be shared with the class then made into a class book for future reference.

Results Presentation
Students will make a written report detailing these three areas:
1. 3-5 ways the community helper they chose helps out in the community
2. telling if their community helper exists in their community and why or why not
3. the most surprising fact they found out about their community helper
Their report will be illustrated.

All the students will present their illustrated report to the class and all the reports will be put together to make a class book.

Activities
 Activities Before Using the Computer
Before students will use the computer, they need to choose a community helper to research and then fill out a KWL chart on their community helper. The evaluation of these different tasks will take place during the presentations and/or during teacher review of the book. Class participation and using time wisely will also be taken into consideration during evaluation.

Strategies to develop students' attitudes towards the problem, motivation, and overall mindfulness:
1. Discussion of what community is.
2. Discussion of how they help out at home, school, and other environments.
3. Read the book "100 Words About Working". Discuss roles of the community helpers listed in the book.
4. Students will share stories involving community helpers.

 

Activities While Using the Computer
Students will work at the computer indiv

Group Information:
Students will work individually at the computers. On the first visit, students will research their community helper. On their second visit, students will type their summaries.
Each student will look up different internet sites on the community helper of their choice. They will be searching for information on how this community helper helps out in the community. Bookmarks will be provided for additional help and for time conservation.
Each group will write a paragraph by using a Word Processing tool on the computer. They will take the information they found during their internet searches and compile it into a paragraph.
Evaluation of these tasks will take place when the book is handed in. Some things that will be looked at are: grammar, content, and creativity

 

Activities After Using the Computer
After students use the computer the first time, they can finish their KWL chart and begin organizing their information for their report (the community helper's duties, does this helper exist in the student's community-why or why not, and a surprising fact about the community helper). After the second use of the computer (writing the summary), students can illustrate their report. After the students are finished at the computer, they will compile all of the information that they have created to make a book. This book will creatively represent the information that they have found. Each student will present his/her information to the class.

Supporting Activities
Students will be going to the computer lab to work on their project so there will be enough computers for everyone to work on at the same time.

Assessment
Students will be assessed by means of:

Included in the assessment:
The evaluation of each student's summary/illustration will take place during the presentations, and/or during teacher review of the book.

Evaluation of the internet searches and the paragraphs will take place when the books are handed in. Some things that will be looked at are: grammar, content (see below), and creativity.

Class participation and using time wisely will also be taken into consideration during evaluation.



Content--Students will be assessed on whether they answered the following questions in their summaries:


1. listed 3-5 duties of their community helper in their report


2. explained why or why not their community helper exists in their community


3. listed one surprising fact they learned about their community helper





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