Social Studies Teaching Unit

1. Social Studies Teaching Unit

2. Approved Topic • Must be approved by mentor by September 15th. • To be taught October 9th-November 30th. • Relate topic to Florida Sunshine Standards (include benchmarks)

3. Evidence of Content Preparation • In order to teach your unit, you must do content research to gain an in-depth understanding of your topic. • This preparation will include learning content and also information about misconceptions in student learning. • Create a bibliography (varied sources that helped you gain an understanding of your topic -websites, books, journals) • Create evidence of content knowledge—web, bullets, essay, etc. This should be organized in a meaningful way. (i.e. not cut and pasted from Internet.) • Due in class on September 29th (bibliography, evidence)

4. Evidence of Student Prior Knowledge • What do students already know about your topic? • You may wish to conduct interviews, lead a K-W-L, or facilitate a class discussion. • Due October 6th: A summary of general themes you discovered as well as what kinds of questions you asked the students.

5. Curriculum Organization • Your unit is guided by an overall Generalization/Big Idea • A total of 3 connected lessons (For example: Day 1- Read aloud with discussion, Day 2- Simulation, Day 3- Culminating assessment activity) • Each lesson contains objectives, and goals leading up to the generalization. Each lesson will help students understand concepts that lead up to that big idea. Due December 1st

6. Lesson Guidelines • The following should be present in the Pathwise lesson plans: • Use of a social studies strategy introduced in class or readings. Be sure not to confuse this with a reading strategy. • Authentic Assessment Strategy (no single quiz or paper/pencil test) • Meaningful integration- at least language arts. • Evidence of specific accommodations

7. Lesson Plan Format • Use Pathwise format, but exclude the content knowledge piece. • Final Copies– December 1st

8. Reflection on Student Learning • Written Reflection (2-3 pages) and Artifacts Questions for Reflection • To what extent did the students learn what was intended (generalization/big idea)? How do you know? What concepts did they have difficulty with? • Examine your assessment artifacts, what did these tell you about student learning? Why did you choose these? • In what ways were your teaching methods, activities, materials, and accommodations effective? How do you know? • If you were going to teach this unit again to the same group of students, what would you do differently? (Consider: grouping, methods, materials, evaluation, activities) Why? What would you do the same? Why? What would you do differently next time? • Due April 14th

9. Reflection on Student Learning • Artifacts: Choose 2-4 examples of student work that will support your reflection. May choose because: *show common misconceptions *evidence of understanding *accommodation used successfully, area where different accommodation was needed.

10. Presentation • December 1st and December 8th • Short description of generalizations, key concepts, standards and 3 connected lessons • Artifacts—materials used/created • Brief Discussion of Student Learning (artifact) • What did you learn from this unit that you think it is important for your classmates to know? This presentation should be an opportunity for your classmates to gain some valuable information!