Library Digital Content Access


People and Their Place in the Community

Created By: Janenne Scott, Oakland Elementary School (Bloomington, IL)
Grade Level: 3rd
Content Area: Social Studies
Database Integration: Students will search TDC database for images of famous people like Rosa Parks, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, etc. Students will also retrieve information about thier accomplishments, time frame, area, and how these people made a difference in their community.


Illinois Learning Standards Achieved

Standard Achieved

Activity that Meets this Standard
State Goal 14.A.1: Describe the fundamental principles of government including representative government, government of law, individual rights and the common good. Students will be able to identify people who have made a difference in their communities.
State Goal 14.C.1: Identify concepts of responsible citizenship including respect for the law, patriotism, civility and working with others. Students will be able to identify people who have made a difference in their communities.
State Goal 14.D.1: Identify the roles of civic leaders (e.g., elected leaders, public service leaders). Students will be able to identify people who have made a difference in their communities.
State Goal 14.F.1: Describe political ideas and traditions important to the development of the United States including democracy, individual rights and the concept of freedom. Students will be able to identify people who have made a difference in their communities.


Objective:

Students will be able to identify people who have made a difference in their communities.


Time:

January depending on how many people you choose - it could last two weeks - especially if you want to go into a biography unit for reading.


Procedures/Teaching Activities:

  1. Find a picture of a famous person and make into an overhead (Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Ghandi, etc.)
  2. Place the overhead up for the whole class to view and talk about how that person made their community a better place to live.
  3. Have information gathered about this person from the TDC database as well as the Internet about the time period, quotes, dress of the time, feeling of the time, etc.
  4. After discussing the picture and the information have a student come up and stand like that figure. Other students can be part of the image if their picture has more than one person involved and have the students act out the scene and discuss why he/she is important.
  5. Divide your class into groups of four or six and ask them to decide who they would like to study - someonw they know who made a difference in their community. (If you have people you would like them to explore they can pull names from a jar you have made up)
  6. Give the students several days to research this person and come up with a skit to share with the rest of the class about why this person made a difference. Make sure that they check their information with the teacher and have included a time period, an action of this person, and are able to act out a scene from this person's life.
  7. When you know the class is ready begin your presentations of the skits.
  8. After each skit is presented, make sure you discuss the person and that all students know the contribution that this person made to their community.
  9. If you want to stay within your own community ask for visitors to come in and talk to the small groups before they present.