Lesson Three:
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 4th/5th grade
Lesson Unit: Refugees
Lesson Topic: Guiding question: What are some examples of situations in which refugees exist? What are some comparisons and contrasts between different situations in different countries?
Time period: 45 minutes
Objectives:
· Students will learn about various situations in which refugees exist.
· Students will be able to draw comparisons and contrasts between those situations using lotus flowers to use as visual aids.
· Students will develop a policy that demonstrates their understanding of issues that create situations in which refugees exist, and their policies will help eliminate those issues.
Standards:
· MMSD STANDARD: Behavioral Science
· NCSS STANDARD: Global Connections
Materials:
· Lotus flower handouts (2 per student)
· Pencils and paper for their policy statement
Lesson Context:
This is the third lesson in the unit and students will be comparing and contrasting different situations in which refugees exist. Students have been delving into what a refugee is and what are the main reasons they exist. Now they are going to compare and contrast some of these cases to gain a better understanding that not all experiences are the same. They will be using lotus flowers to diagram situations and using them as visual aids to represent the scenarios and to determine similarities and differences.
Lesson Procedure:
· The teacher will provide students with multiple scenarios of situations in which refugees exist.
· Using this information, students will work individually and create lotus flower diagrams for at least two situations.
· Students will look at the information provided as well as their diagram to write up a short essay describing their findings: Who are the groups? Where did they come from and where did they go? What is similar? What is different? Why do they think these similarities and differences exist?
Closure:
· Students, if comfortable, will present their findings out loud.
· For students who volunteer, the teacher will draw a lotus flower diagram depicting the similarities the students found and a lotus flower diagram depicting the differences found.
· Discuss these findings and ask if students found similarities in their own findings.
Assessment:
· Informal assessment: The teacher will observe the lotus flower diagrams the students create and ask them to verbally express or explain the comparisons and contrasts they are finding.
· Formal assessment: Students will work in groups of three to develop a policy that they would incorporate in order to help refugees. They will need to include supporting evidence for their policy and sufficient reasons to persuade people to agree to their policy. The evidence can come from their findings from their lotus flowers or from the information provided in class. The context for this assignment is that this essay will be handed to UNHCR- a program described to the students as one that helps refugees-persuading them to incorporate their policy into their work efforts.
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 4th/5th grade
Lesson Unit: Refugees
Lesson Topic: Guiding question: What are some examples of situations in which refugees exist? What are some comparisons and contrasts between different situations in different countries?
Time period: 45 minutes
Objectives:
· Students will learn about various situations in which refugees exist.
· Students will be able to draw comparisons and contrasts between those situations using lotus flowers to use as visual aids.
· Students will develop a policy that demonstrates their understanding of issues that create situations in which refugees exist, and their policies will help eliminate those issues.
Standards:
· MMSD STANDARD: Behavioral Science
- o Perspectives- Compare and contrast individual perspectives and differences.
· NCSS STANDARD: Global Connections
- o Learners will analyze or formulate policy statements that demonstrate an understanding of concerns, standards, issues, and conflicts related to universal human rights.
Materials:
· Lotus flower handouts (2 per student)
· Pencils and paper for their policy statement
Lesson Context:
This is the third lesson in the unit and students will be comparing and contrasting different situations in which refugees exist. Students have been delving into what a refugee is and what are the main reasons they exist. Now they are going to compare and contrast some of these cases to gain a better understanding that not all experiences are the same. They will be using lotus flowers to diagram situations and using them as visual aids to represent the scenarios and to determine similarities and differences.
Lesson Procedure:
· The teacher will provide students with multiple scenarios of situations in which refugees exist.
· Using this information, students will work individually and create lotus flower diagrams for at least two situations.
· Students will look at the information provided as well as their diagram to write up a short essay describing their findings: Who are the groups? Where did they come from and where did they go? What is similar? What is different? Why do they think these similarities and differences exist?
Closure:
· Students, if comfortable, will present their findings out loud.
· For students who volunteer, the teacher will draw a lotus flower diagram depicting the similarities the students found and a lotus flower diagram depicting the differences found.
· Discuss these findings and ask if students found similarities in their own findings.
Assessment:
· Informal assessment: The teacher will observe the lotus flower diagrams the students create and ask them to verbally express or explain the comparisons and contrasts they are finding.
· Formal assessment: Students will work in groups of three to develop a policy that they would incorporate in order to help refugees. They will need to include supporting evidence for their policy and sufficient reasons to persuade people to agree to their policy. The evidence can come from their findings from their lotus flowers or from the information provided in class. The context for this assignment is that this essay will be handed to UNHCR- a program described to the students as one that helps refugees-persuading them to incorporate their policy into their work efforts.