Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Content Analysis
Powerful
social studies starts with helping children find their voice, not only in the
classroom, but in every aspect. When students find their voice, the teacher can
pose challenging questions that will help define who they are and how they fit
into the world. “Teaching critically listens to and affirms a minority voice
that challenges the status quo. Instead of forcing assimilation and acceptance
of dominant culture, it reexamines cultural assumptions and values and
considers their larger ramifications” (Cowhey). You may not be able to vote at
the tender age of 9, but you can encourage others who can to take part! You may
not be able to stop the factory from opening, but you can find out about job
creation, loss and environmentally responsible solutions or compromises. At any
age, you can contact someone in power, write a letter or visit their office and
ask questions.
What constitutes as a good question? What kind of questions do we want our children to be asking? What does a good question say about the individual? What does it mean to be informed? All of these questions can be asked and discussed in detail with students even at an Early Childhood level. In elementary education, we often think that we are “dumbing down” material to fit the needs of our students. We need to move away from this thinking and start approaching the material with big concepts. Students can understand these big concepts like progress, happiness, community, consumerism, freedom and culture if given enough materials and facilitated conversation.
In the book, Black Ants and Buddhists, Mary Cowhey taught what we would define as powerful social studies. She took big concepts, stretched the content across the curriculum and empowered the students by giving them enormous amounts of responsibility. She facilitated conversation, so that everyone in the classroom felt safe, but challenged their ideals and traditional ways of thinking. She asked her students powerful questions that were open ended. I think overall she taught her students that there is no right or wrong answer, but there is a way to be an informed citizen and member of the community.
The unit I developed, A Life without Trees is created with powerful social studies in mind. I strived to create a challenging unit with deeply rooted questions that allows each student a voice. The Social Studies GLCEs that my unit is focused on is minimal, but the GLCEs across the curriculum are plentiful!
Social Studies GLCEs
Just a Dream Lesson--
· 3 – H3.0.1 Identify questions historians ask in examining the past in Michigan (e.g., What happened? When did it happen? Who was involved? How and why did it happen?)
Planting Trees (Community Mapping)--
· 3 – P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan and know how, when, and where to address or inform others about a public issue.
· 3 – P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others
Additional GLCEs—
The following are provided in detail in the EcoJustice Content Analysis in Developmental Context Section
· GLCE: 3 – E1.0.3 Analyze how Michigan’s location and natural resources influenced its economic development (e.g., how waterways and other natural resources have influenced economic activities such as mining, lumbering, automobile manufacturing, and furniture making).
· 3 – G5.0.1 Locate natural resources in Michigan and explain the consequences of their use.
· 3 – G5.0.2 Describe how people adapt to, use, and modify the natural resources of Michigan. (H)
· 3 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in Michigan that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
· 3 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in Michigan and evaluate alternative resolutions.
Integrated Science GLCEs
After the trees have been planted, the students will be able to use science process skills to observe the growth of the trees and the surrounding area. These GLCEs promote the children to take care of the community and strengthen their bonds with other people—promote happiness. The GLCEs that will be addressed throughout the year are listed below.
· S.IP.03.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.
· S.IP.03.12 Generate questions based on observations.
· S.IP.03.13 Plan and conduct simple and fair investigations.
· S.IP.03.14 Manipulate simple tools that aid observation and data collection (for example: hand lens, balance, ruler, meter stick, measuring cup, thermometer, spring scale, stop watch/timer).
· S.IP.03.15 Make accurate measurements with appropriate units (centimeters, meters, Celsius, grams, seconds, minutes) for the measurement tool.
· S.IP.03.16 Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations
Mathematic GLCEs
Most of these GLCEs can be address during the mathematical mapping and observing the growth of the trees and surrounding area. Specifically, the GLCEs under the Number and Operations, Measurement, Data and Probability benchmarks can all be addressed and met by completing all or sections of this framework.
ELA GCLEs
Throughout the year, I envision the children diving into Information text. The Informational Text benchmark will be fulfilled through the nature of this unit. Other standards such as Word Recognition and Word Study, Writing Process, Personal Style and Comprehension will all be addressed. Students will work in Guided Reading groups, use their ELA notebooks and use the writing process to explore the importance of trees. Despite reading or writing ability, everyone in the class will be able to participate through adaptation and differentiation.
Health GLCEs
As the students build a relationship with the community the whole class will discuss what it means to be happy and what a happy community looks like. Students will have this discussion after the Interdependence lesson highlighted in this unit. The discussion and extension activities could fulfill the Strand 4: Social and Emotional Health.
What constitutes as a good question? What kind of questions do we want our children to be asking? What does a good question say about the individual? What does it mean to be informed? All of these questions can be asked and discussed in detail with students even at an Early Childhood level. In elementary education, we often think that we are “dumbing down” material to fit the needs of our students. We need to move away from this thinking and start approaching the material with big concepts. Students can understand these big concepts like progress, happiness, community, consumerism, freedom and culture if given enough materials and facilitated conversation.
In the book, Black Ants and Buddhists, Mary Cowhey taught what we would define as powerful social studies. She took big concepts, stretched the content across the curriculum and empowered the students by giving them enormous amounts of responsibility. She facilitated conversation, so that everyone in the classroom felt safe, but challenged their ideals and traditional ways of thinking. She asked her students powerful questions that were open ended. I think overall she taught her students that there is no right or wrong answer, but there is a way to be an informed citizen and member of the community.
The unit I developed, A Life without Trees is created with powerful social studies in mind. I strived to create a challenging unit with deeply rooted questions that allows each student a voice. The Social Studies GLCEs that my unit is focused on is minimal, but the GLCEs across the curriculum are plentiful!
Social Studies GLCEs
Just a Dream Lesson--
· 3 – H3.0.1 Identify questions historians ask in examining the past in Michigan (e.g., What happened? When did it happen? Who was involved? How and why did it happen?)
Planting Trees (Community Mapping)--
· 3 – P4.2.1 Develop and implement an action plan and know how, when, and where to address or inform others about a public issue.
· 3 – P4.2.2 Participate in projects to help or inform others
Additional GLCEs—
The following are provided in detail in the EcoJustice Content Analysis in Developmental Context Section
· GLCE: 3 – E1.0.3 Analyze how Michigan’s location and natural resources influenced its economic development (e.g., how waterways and other natural resources have influenced economic activities such as mining, lumbering, automobile manufacturing, and furniture making).
· 3 – G5.0.1 Locate natural resources in Michigan and explain the consequences of their use.
· 3 – G5.0.2 Describe how people adapt to, use, and modify the natural resources of Michigan. (H)
· 3 – P3.1.1 Identify public issues in Michigan that influence the daily lives of its citizens.
· 3 – P3.1.2 Use graphic data and other sources to analyze information about a public issue in Michigan and evaluate alternative resolutions.
Integrated Science GLCEs
After the trees have been planted, the students will be able to use science process skills to observe the growth of the trees and the surrounding area. These GLCEs promote the children to take care of the community and strengthen their bonds with other people—promote happiness. The GLCEs that will be addressed throughout the year are listed below.
· S.IP.03.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.
· S.IP.03.12 Generate questions based on observations.
· S.IP.03.13 Plan and conduct simple and fair investigations.
· S.IP.03.14 Manipulate simple tools that aid observation and data collection (for example: hand lens, balance, ruler, meter stick, measuring cup, thermometer, spring scale, stop watch/timer).
· S.IP.03.15 Make accurate measurements with appropriate units (centimeters, meters, Celsius, grams, seconds, minutes) for the measurement tool.
· S.IP.03.16 Construct simple charts and graphs from data and observations
Mathematic GLCEs
Most of these GLCEs can be address during the mathematical mapping and observing the growth of the trees and surrounding area. Specifically, the GLCEs under the Number and Operations, Measurement, Data and Probability benchmarks can all be addressed and met by completing all or sections of this framework.
ELA GCLEs
Throughout the year, I envision the children diving into Information text. The Informational Text benchmark will be fulfilled through the nature of this unit. Other standards such as Word Recognition and Word Study, Writing Process, Personal Style and Comprehension will all be addressed. Students will work in Guided Reading groups, use their ELA notebooks and use the writing process to explore the importance of trees. Despite reading or writing ability, everyone in the class will be able to participate through adaptation and differentiation.
Health GLCEs
As the students build a relationship with the community the whole class will discuss what it means to be happy and what a happy community looks like. Students will have this discussion after the Interdependence lesson highlighted in this unit. The discussion and extension activities could fulfill the Strand 4: Social and Emotional Health.