Social Studies
Earth Day
In April, I introduced the students to the idea of reducing, reusing, and recycling. I read Michael Recycle, by Ellie Bethel, to introduce the idea of recycling. After reading the book, I played a song called Going Green. The song and the video gave students many ideas on how to reduce, reuse, and recycle. After, the students and I brainstormed things we could do to help protect the planet. After, the students competed a Earth craft where they wrote their Earth Day pledge on the back. This lesson was a good way to have the students think about ways they could help the environment. In this lesson, like many others, I delivered the information through different means so that my students would be able to learn through their preferred style. The students really enjoyed making the craft and writing pledges to help preserve the planet.
President Unit
Throughout the month of February, I did a unit on Presidents. During the unit, I focused on what a president is, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The first day of the unit started with a BrainPOP Jr. video on what it means to be a president. After watching the video, the students and I listed the main roles of a president. After, we came up with laws that we would make if we were president. The students did a writing activity where they wrote their law, and drew a picture to go along with their writing. The next main parts of the unit were on George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I taught the content for both the presidents in the same style because it worked well. For both the presidents, I started with a story, followed by a BrainPOP Jr. Video, anchor chart, then a guided fill in the blank booklet. At the end of the unit, we did activities comparing and contrasting George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. This unit gave the students a decent amount of exposure to two well-known presidents in US history, as well as an introductory exposure to government and politics.
