ERICA GREEN

ERICA GREEN

Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education: Social Studies

PORTFOLIO

Course ID: EDCI322Instructor B. Walsh

University of MarylandCollege Park

Fall 2010

ERICA GREEN

Part AINDEX

Index Part A

Forward Part B

The Value of Social Studies Statement Part 1

ELL Statement Part 2

Trade Book Review Part 3

Web Lesson Plan Part 4

Primary Documents Part 5

Microteaching Write-up Part 6

Student Interview Write-up Part 7

Authentic Teaching Activity Parts I - IV Part 8

Peer Portfolio Handout Part 9

Course Syllabus Part C

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Part BFORWARD

This portfolio is a compilation of the assignments that I completed while registered in

the Fall 2010 Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education: Social Studies course. The

class was lectured by graduate student Brie Walsh at the University of Maryland in College Park,

Maryland. Some of the work featured is original, while some as been revised either after

reviewed by Ms. Walsh or after I had the opportunity to do additional research. During this time

that this course took place, I began a yearlong student teaching internship that is part of the

curriculum for elementary education majors in The University of Maryland's College of

Education. As social studies has seemed to take a back seat to science, math, and language arts,

the authenticity of the assignments given in this course gave me great preparation for the

ongoing challenge of fitting meaningful social studies material in today's public school

curriculums. Please enjoy.

~ Erica Green

ERICA GREEN

Part 1THE VALUE OF SOCIAL STUDIES

STATEMENT

Social Studies: The Lost Subject?

In the few elementary schools that I have observed first grade classes while studying to

become a teacher, it seems that social studies is often thought to be a subject that is less valuable

than others. With so much instruction time being dedicated to language arts, math, and even

science, I can see that it is hard for teachers in the elementary schools that I have been placed to

find ways to fit social studies into the curriculum. This presents a great problem because

students are missing out on a plethora of vital information that one must acquire to understand

how governments work, the intricate dynamics of various societies and cultures, geographical

features, the history of our and other civilizations and so much more.

With the absence of social studies, many important questions will remain unanswered.

How can a child who has not explored civics become an educated voter? How can a privileged,

white student understand today’s stratification systems with empathy if he has not learned about

civil rights and the history of the founding and building of this country within an authentic

context? How can we have successful agribusiness if we do not understand the dynamics of

geography such as land and water? How can future generations understand how to succeed if

they don’t have any understanding of how the nations of the world got to where they are today?

How can we overcome times of economic hardship, such as the current situation in America, if

we do not understand how to use what social studies tells us about past recessions and the Great

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Depression of the 1930s? The answers to such questions and more can be explored within the

world of social studies and the many areas of study within the subject matter.

We must find ways to work social studies back into the curriculum so that it, once again,

has an integral role in the academic life of every student. We owe it to their students, to give

them the tools that they need to understand the world around them and all that it encompasses so

that they may become productive members of society.

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Part 2ELL STATEMENT

Making Social Studies Tangible for English Language Learners

Sis, Peter. Follow the Dream: the Story of Christopher Columbus. New York: Trumpet Club,

1992. Print.

Social Studies Resource: Trade book cited above.

Materials:1. Three colonial style toy ships.2. Globe.3. Realistic toy figures of Native Americans and Columbus and his voyagers.4. Large cutouts of the years 1492 and 2010 (or present year.5. Enthusiasm!

Rational:

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While most teachers would agree that all students should explore the story of Christopher

Columbus’ journey to America through student friendly social studies books such as the one

cited above, English language learners may have a hard time understanding what is being read.

How can a teacher come up with a solution? Tangible objects can provide a foundation for a

universal language! A ship looks like a ship, no matter what it may be called in another

language. I may call it “water,” an ELL student may call it “agua,” but the picture will always

look the same.

In order to teach a social studies history lesson within an authentic context, the students

would need to understand that this exploration took place many, many years ago. While English

language learners (as well as most young students) may understand that we are in the year 2010,

1492 would probably have no meaning to them. If I were to hold up the large 2010 cutout and

say today is Friday, September, 17 2010 and then hold up the book next to the large 1492 cutout,

students who were experiencing difficulty should make the connection. An enthusiastic

teaching personality is also vital. Continuing with the 2010/1492 example, I would drag out the

o in “long” so that students can hear a long word while I explain that the year 1492 was a long

time ago.

As I introduce my students to Columbus by reading the book to them, I would have the

props serve as an extension of the text. One may say that the illustrations are intended to

complement the text and that should be enough. However, illustrations cannot be manipulated in

a very effective way, while tangible props can. For example, when reading about the Pinta, the

Niña, and the Santa María, the three ships that set sail on this famous voyage, I would put on a

puppet show of sorts. First I would exhibit Columbus and the voyagers boarding the ships and

then physically handle the ships in a way that explicitly implied the notion of the three ships

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sailing from Spain to America by having them sail around the globe. In addition, I would like to

use a sink or water container to float the ships. Young students would love this. The same

strategies would be used when reading about Columbus’ meeting with the Native Americans and

them.

A student who is less than proficient in the English language may not understand the oral

language involved in many lessons, however, would understand the actions being exhibited.

Every English language learner understands the concepts of “sail,” “explore,” and “adventure”

even if they have other names for such notions. We, as future teachers, must realize that there is

a way to reach every student, as every student has great potential. We may just need to help

them make material a little more relevant and think of ways to transcend language barriers.

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Part 3TRADE BOOK REVIEW

Review of Harriet Tubman and Black History Month by Polly Carter

Carter, Polly, and Brian Pinkney. Harriet Tubman and Black History Month. Englewood Cliffs,

NJ: Silver, 1990. Print.

When looking for a social studies trade book to review, I decided that the Greenburgh Public Library in Westchester County, New York would be a great place to find one. One of the librarians in the children’s section helped me find several books exploring slavery, Harriett Tubman, and the Underground Railroad, that would be categorized as trade books if they were not hardcover books. She then told me that the library has very few paperback books because they are not durable and do not last.

Harriet Tubman and Black History Month by Polly Carter with pictures by Brian Pinkney

is a wonderful book for children of all ages. The story begins when Tubman is a little girl. She

has just been sold to a new master and is forced to leave her parents behind. Her new master is

cruel and “beats” young Harriet Tubman often. Beginning her story when she is a child allows

Tubman to be more relatable to young readers. Young readers can compare their lives to hers.

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This is a nice alternative to the grown up Tubman that is often explored. Many of my young first

grade students had a very hard time relating to the woman, who they said looked “sad,” that I

showed them in a photo of Tubman. The book’s illustrations are beautiful and honest,

complementing the text well.

As one reads on, the horrors of slavery continue to be explored in an authentic yet child

friendly context. On can escape to freedom with Tubman and follow her as she becomes one of

the great “conductors” of the Underground Railroad within the pages of this book. Readers are

also offered a glimpse into Tubman’s life as a nurse in the Civil War, a view of her that is rarely

seen. Through this exploration, young readers are introduced to the Civil War and her rags to

riches story. Tubman works hard to overcome her painful past and become a nurse even after all

the hardships that she had to face. Finally, readers learn that Tubman’s dedication to helping

slaves escape to freedom went on long after she participated in the Underground Railroad as she

becomes a spy for the northern army. This is another very brave task that Tubman took on.

The only flaw in this book can be found on the cover. While it is a thoughtful notion,

“Let’s Celebrate Harriet Tubman and Black History Month,” such an idea marginalizes this

American Hero. Why not just celebrate? Why do we have to think of Harriet Tubman and all

that she stood for in terms of Black History Month? The cover is compelling and attractive,

however, would make a stronger statement if Harriet Tubman were standing independently.

Harriet Tubman does not need to rest on the cushion of Black History Month.

I would give Harriet Tubman and Black History Month by Polly Carter a rating of 8.5/10.

Overall, this is a great book that can be used to explore this iconic figure in American history.

ERICA GREEN

Part 4Web Lesson Plan

Critique of The AmericanFlag , Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan found on LessonPlansPage in it's entirety:"Title - The American Flag By - Rebecca Croft Primary Subject - Social Studies Secondary Subjects - Art Grade Level - Kindergarten thru 2nd Objective:Students will be able to name the number of stars, the number of red stripes, the number of white stripes, and name what each represents.

Activities:1) Students will make a small flag collage2) Teacher will explain what the stars and stripes represent (stars-one for each state-total of 50 stars)(stripes-7 red, 6 white-total of 13 stripes for the original colonies)3) Students will cut out stars (shapes)4) Teaching video5) Teacher will read a book to the class about the flag6) Students will drill in pairs the 5 main facts7) Students will make a large flag collage for display

Materials:Construction paperGlueStar patternsVideoBook (Red, White, and Blue: The Story of the American Flag; by John Herman; Grosset & Dunlap; 1998)Real American FlagIndex Cards

Evaluation:1) Teacher Observation: Teacher will observe the students in groups and see how they are doing with the cards and with the making of the flags2) Checklist"

URL: <http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSArtTheAmericanFlagAndItsSymbolsK2.htm>

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Critique:

Finding meaningful social studies lessons on the internet was not an easy task. Although

it is important to explore the importance of being a good friend and other common ideas, social

studies is more than a collection of general notions. Social studies provides us with a plethora of

historical events, happenings, consequences, gains, costs, and knowledge. A lesson on the

American Flag's symbols is truly meaningful as it gives (young) students an opportunity to

expand their knowledge about something that many students see and do on a daily basis.

When I found this lesson plan, exploring the symbolic meaning of the stars and stripes

that could be found on the American Flag, the first thing that came to my mind was The Pledge

of Allegiance. While I was in grade school, I recited the Pledge every weekday. My current

students do the same. I wonder if they have any real understanding of what the Flag represents

or why we say the Pledge.

While I do find this lesson to be very useful, as it can be informative to (first grade)

students, I feel that there is ample room for improvement within this lesson. The first thing I

would do before teaching this lesson is expand the objective. The "in order to" component is

absent. Without this feature, the objective is incomplete. Why should students "be able to" do

this? In order to provide a clear objective that outlines what is going to be done and why, I

would revise it as the following: "Students will participate in an art activity involving the class's

construction of the American Flag and a discussion with (a) partner/s in order to further

demonstrate knowledge of what each of the symbols and number amounts of such symbol

represent." An explicit and detailed objective allows students to fully understand what it is that

is expected of them. There is a greater potential to succeed when uncertainty is minimal.

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This lesson alone would not be sufficient in having students understand the symbolic

meanings that can be found on the American Flag. This lesson should actually be thought of as a

follow up activity to a more comprehensive lesson exploring the establishment of the thirteen

original colonies and the formation of the fifty states. With first graders, this may be a difficult

task. In order to gain their understanding, after explicitly explaining the formation of America

within an authentic context, I would present students with the following analogy while

explaining that this is not what really happened but a fictional story that I created in order to help

them understand the subject matter.

The story would go something like so: "One day, a group of principals decided that they

wanted to build a new school where they had not built a school before. They decided to call it

Colonial School. There were thirteen teachers and thirteen students in Colonial School. Other

teachers and students soon found out about this great school and wanted to join. Over the course

of many years, forty-seven more teachers and many, many more students joined. Colonial

School became United Classes School, with a total of fifty classes. We can think of United

Classes School as we would The United States of America as represented by the flag. The

thirteen original teachers and students can be thought of as the stripes, similar to the way we

think about the thirteen original colonies. The stars can be thought of as representing the fifty

classes in United Classes School, just as they represent America's fifty states."

In addition to the preceding conversation, I would like to include some readings. Now

that I am thinking about how significant this subject matter is, I would plan to conduct this lesson

over the course of three days. I would introduce the children to the topic by asking them what

they thought of the flag, what it is called, what it looks like, and so on. I would also have them

complete the activity attached entitled Pledge of Allegiance. The next day, after another brief

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discussion about the American Flag, I would introduce them to a book during read aloud time. I

found the following book on Amazon, which seems to go into great detail. The following

annotation concerning this book can also be found on Amazon and is from the American Library

Association:

"Gr. 1-3. This colorful presentation traces the history of the American flag from its

development during the Revolutionary War and early Federal period through the renewed

enthusiasm for displaying it after September 11, 2001. One side of each double-page

spread carries a few lines or paragraphs of text, facing a bordered, full-page illustration.

Apart from the text, a page of notes details the stories behind some of the flags illustrated

and an author' s note relates what is known about the flag and Elizabeth "Betsy" Ross and

what is not known (who made the first American flag?). The dramatic compositions and

bright, heraldic colors that characterize the illustrations give the book great visual appeal.

Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved"

I would like to revisit this topic with students once more before moving on to the

construction of a class flag. Now, students should have a strong foundation of background

knowledge in terms of the American Flag. After reading another book (Unfortunately I cannot

locate one that I feel comfortable with at the moment. When carrying out this lesson in the field,

I would visit my school library, the public library, and contact Scholastic.), and participating in a

quick discussion to reinforce the students' newly acquired knowledge they would be ready to

begin construction of a class American Flag.

Closure is absent in this lesson plan. I would close this lesson by simply asking students

what they did today. More often than not, when asked by their parents, or other adults at home,

what it is that they learned in school on a given day, children either say "nothing" or "I don't

know." This can happen because teachers fail to provide conclusions to learning explorations.

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By encouraging students to think about what it is that they did after a lesson, a good teacher is

fostering retention skills. Such skills are important for long term understanding as they help

students to organize and keep hold of new information.

There are two revisions I would make involving needed materials. In order to create a

"large flag collage for display" the teacher will need to provide the class with an extra large piece

of construction paper. This is not noted in the materials section. Also, the materials section lists

"Index Cards," but, doesn't explain what the index cards are to be used for. A teacher who did

not prepare this lesson will have no way of understanding what to use the index cards for.

There are also three revisions that I would make involving the evaluation. Number two

says "Checklist." There is no explanation following this step, so, once more, one who did not

prepare this lesson will have no understanding of what this means. Also, in an effort to assess

students' prior knowledge regarding the Flag's design, I would have them complete the attached

activity, entitled Pledge of Allegiance. This would also serve as a warm up, as it has the pledge

in print. Students may have the Pledge memorized, but, may not really recognize it in written

form. I do not think that first grade students have had many opportunities to see the Pledge.

Moreover, the opportunity to engage in writing can reinforce the importance of the topic.

Finally, a formal assessment is absent. Formal assessments are necessary as they allow a teacher

to assess each, individual student. This allows teachers to see who may need a little more help

and who has (almost) mastered the material. I would include the attached assessment, entitled

The American Flag, as part the formal assessment.

Now that I have completed my revisions, I would like to revise and expand my objective

again: "Students will participate in class and partner discussions, read alouds, and an art activity

involving the class's construction of the American Flag in order to demonstrate knowledge of

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what each of the symbols and number amounts of such symbols represent." This objective states

exactly what students will be doing and why.

Alone, I believe that the original lesson would be a fun activity, however, would not

foster any long term understandings of the subject. It is important to teach lessons with the goal

of students' lasting understanding in mind. The teacher put too much emphasis on the artistic

aspect of the lesson and minimized the importance of the content. I feel that my suggested

revisions would strengthen the potential effectiveness of the lesson. Clear objectives would have

lessened any feelings of ambiguity; relevant readings and analogies would have created an

elaborate basis for background knowledge; and a pre as well as a formal assessment would have

allowed students to apply their knowledge and understanding of the subject as individuals, thus,

allowing the teacher to assess students as individuals and act accordingly.

Suggested supplemental materials:

*I think that it is unfair to expect for first graders to retain specific information such as

"How many of each color strip are on the flag?"

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Name:__________________________ Date:________________

The American Flag

Directions: Read the questions silently as the teacher reads them aloud. Answer each question. Do not worry about spelling your answers perfectly.

1. How many stars are on the American Flag? ___________________

2. What do the stars represent? ____________________________

3. How many stripes are on the American Flag? _________________

4. What do the stripes represent? ___________________________

5. What strip colors are on the American Flag? _________________

Part 5PRIMARY DOCUMENTS

The Power in Harriet Tubman's Face and Voice

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When thinking about what type of primary documents I would like to use when exploring

the courageous Harriet Tubman with first grade students, I decided that a photograph of her as

well as a personal quote would be great tools. So often, it is hard for young children, and even

college students, to be able to envision figures, who are being studied, in concrete ways. Harriet

Tubman lived many years ago, especially in relation to seven year olds. A photograph of her,

allows her to become a real person, someone who they can see. By helping students to see

Tubman literally, a good teacher can help students to see her figuratively as an American model

and symbol of fairness.

I was able to have the pleasure of passing out the attached photograph under the title

What do you see? Each student was given one. They were able to read the title independently

and began to discuss what they saw with their table teams. Then, I recorded each table groups’

discussion. The students were unsure whether the photograph exhibited a man or a woman. One

little boy excitedly said, “I don’t know!” He then said, “in between.” I don’t think that he has

any true concept of what it means to be intersexed or transgendered, however, find his notion to

be compelling. We have been socialized into thinking that a man is this and a woman is that. It

is clearly evident that this seven year old first grade student felt that Tubman does not look as if

she fits into a particular gender role as she does appear to be dressed very differently than anyone

in modern America would be.

After letting each table group participate in a student centered discussion, I asked each

child the following question: “Does this person look happy?” About seventy five percent of the

class said that she did not look happy. One little girl took another look at the person in the

photograph before she said, “Sad.” When I look at Harriet Tubman, I see the face of a person

with a mission. I would say that she looks serious or that she looks focused. Many other

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students said that they say a “face,” “hands,” “a person” and so on. No matter what each

individual child saw, my objective was met. I wanted to gain a little insight into the varying

perspectives of a vast array of students. Moreover, this before lesson activity sparked interest in

the students, as they expressed feelings of wanting to know more about the person who they saw

in the picture.

For my second primary document, I would like to present each student with a sheet of

paper displaying a quote of Tubman’s. I found the following quote on

<womenhistory.about.com>: “I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”

This quote would be a great way to introduce students, of all ages, to the Underground Railroad.

While the quote is a sort of analogy, so is the title Underground Railroad. Coincidently, this

quote is the closing to the book that I would later choose for the Trade Book Review assignment,

Harriet Tubman and Black History Month by Polly Carter, after completing this assignment.

Young students may have a hard time understanding that the Underground Railroad is not

actually a railroad that is underground. After asking students what they thought about the quote I

would say, “What if I told you that this quote is not actually about a person who had a train or

real passengers? What if I told you that the person talking is giving new meaning to these

words?” In order to clarify, I may ask students to answer the following question: What is this

classroom to you? Is it a puzzle that can be confusing? Is it an exciting book? It is an

amusement park?” While allowing my students to think about their answers, I would explain

that to me this classroom is a family. It is not my real family, but, I am giving new meaning to

this word. Tubman’s path to freedom was not a real railroad and she was not a real conductor,

but, she gave new meaning to these words. While, the classroom may evoke feelings related to

an amusement park, students should understand that it is not.

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I do expect to have to further explain the quote to first grade students, but, I would do my

best to do so without actually telling them what to think. I may continue by explicitly explaining

that the Underground Railroad was a name given to a real path that slaves followed to arrive at a

place where they could be free. Tubman’s “train” was her commitment to her mission and her

“passengers” were all those who she helped. In order to fully explain, I would reword the

statement for the class: I never stopped doing what I believed was right and I never chose not to

help someone.

When studying a figure, who lived long ago, young students who have no knowledge of

such a figure may require primary documents in order to allow the new material to become real.

By allowing students to see a picture and read an actual quote by Tubman, she is more than a

name in a textbook as she becomes an actual person who lived and had a great impact on

American history.

Supplemental materials:

What do you see?

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<http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-harriettubman.html>

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“I never ran my train off the track,

and I never lost a passenger.”- Harriet Tubman

<http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_h_tubman.htm>

Part 6

ERICA GREEN

MICROTEACHING WRITE-UP

Experience is the Best Teacher for Student Teachers

The Microteaching assignment provided me with the opportunity to practice teaching the

social studies lesson (explored in Part of this portfolio) that I had prepared for my first grade

students. My classmates and I brought our plans to our Social Studies Methods class and taught

our lessons to each other as though they were elementary school teachers and students.

This experience served as a way for us to think about how our students think as we were

placed in their shoes and took on the role of elementary school students. In addition, this task

provided us with the opportunity to think on our feet when responses were unanticipated.

Finally, this activity provided us with the insightful opportunity to review each other's

plans and build off of each other's ideas.

Part 7

ERICA GREEN

STUDENT INTERVIEW WRITE-UP

Harriett Tubman and Fairness: What Does a First Grader Think?

Interview:

*Interviewee is a Caucasian six year old female in first grade. She reads above grade level.

Q1. What do you know about fairness? What root word do you hear in "fairness"? What does it mean to be fair?

A1. "You don't cheat... If my friend and I are playing tic tac toe and they take three turns that's cheating which is not fairness." The student was unable to identify the root word.

Q2. What does it mean to be unfair? Let us think about what un means? How about "do" and "undo"? Can you tell me anything about those two words?- If the student interviewee is having a difficult time with this, I will provide an example: "Would it be fair or unfair if only the girls in our class were allowed to play during recess? Why (not)?"

A1. "Unfair means that... pretend that me and my brother... when my brother takes all the ice cream it's unfair..." [...] "Un: take it out. Like when me and my dad are undoing a screw."

Q3. Can you tell me about a time when someone treated you with fairness? Or about a time when you were fair to others?

A3. "Sometimes [my brother] is nice... Everyday my brother lets me play first but sometimes he says 'gimme gimme gimme.'"

Q4. Do you know who Harriett Tubman is? What about the Underground Railroad?- If student says "yes," I will ask for an explanation.- If student says "no," I will ask her to take a guess.- I will not confirm or correct either possible answer.

A4. "I'm going to take a guess. She sings or she takes pictures and photographs... An underground railroad? I don't know"

Q5. Do you know what slavery is? Do you know what it means to be a slave?- If student says "yes", I will ask for an explanation.- I will also ask her if she thinks slavery is fair and why (not).- If student says "no" I will ask them to take a guess.- I will not confirm or correct either possible answer.

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A5. "A slave us when you hurt somebody... slay them with a sword or something."

Interview Analysis:

When exploring potential topics for the Authentic Teaching Activity, I utilized the social

studies curriculum outline that Maryland State has designed for first grade. Sadly, the school

that I am placed at does not incorporate social studies into the first grade program of study. This

came as a shock to me. While in grade school and even through high school, I always thought of

school in terms of these four areas: math, science, English, and social studies. Even though there

was a great chance that I would not get to teach the lesson that I plan as a part of the ATA, I

decided that focusing on a lesson that can be found in Unit Two, In My Community, entitled

Citizenship Skills - Harriet Tubman would be very meaningful to me as a future teacher as well

as to the few students who would get the opportunity to help be develop this lesson.

When thinking about which student I would like to interview. I decided that "Allison"

(pseudonym) would be the best choice because of the enthusiastic attitude she displays in the

classroom. Allison is a very bright child who consistently volunteers to answer questions, enjoys

learning, works hard, and says that she "loves school because school is so much fun." All of this

lead me to believe that she would have some background knowledge regarding the material to be

covered in the interview.

Allison answered the first question by providing me with an example of what fairness

was. This showed that she truly understood the meaning of the word because instead of just

offering me a generic definition, such as "fairness is what's fair," Allison was able to answer the

question by thinking about the vocabulary word in an authentic context. I was surprised,

however, by the fact that Allison was unable to identify the root word in fairness even after I had

covered up the second half of the word.

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Again, Allison was able to demonstrate the fact that she had a strong understanding of a

vocabulary word, in this case, the word being unfair, through an example. However, I began to

think about how insightful it would be if she would have provided me with an actual definition.

Allison demonstrated her understanding of the meaning of un by coming up with an example as

well. Could she, perhaps, not have strong skills in terms of referring to actual definitions? Or,

are the examples sufficient without definitions?

Allison answered the third question I asked her in a very explicit manner. Not only did

she provide me with an example of a time when someone has been fair to her (in this case her

brother), but, she also provided me with a counter example. Counter examples can, quite often,

serve as better evidence then actual examples. Proving something to be wrong is a much more

strenuous task than proving something to be right. Allison has a very good understanding of

what it means to be fair as well as what it means to be unfair.

I was very surprised to learn that Allison did not know who Harriett Tubman was since

this woman and her role in the underground railroad is such an important part of American

history. On the very first day of EDCI322 instruction, our class was quick to sight her as a

significant historical figure. I guess that I did not know who she was either when I was in first

grade, however, it seems as though I have known forever. It was very amusing when Allison

guessed and thought that Tubman could, possibly, be a singer or a photographer. People seem to

associate a sort of greatness with singing. Many little children (this includes me when I was a

child) say that they would like to be a singer when they grow up. So, in a sense, I found this

answer to be typical of a first grade student. I was, however, compelled by Allison's second

guess of picture and photograph taker; it is quite original. I was not surprised by Allison not

knowing what the Underground Railroad was as this and Tubman sort of coincide.

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I was most compelled by Allison's answer to the final interview question. At first I

thought that she knew what it meant to be a slave when she associated the word with "hurt";

slaves were treated very badly and were often hurt. Very quickly after she answered the

question, Allison elaborated: "... slay them with your sword or something." While, in this

particular case, she was ultimately incorrect, as she was hearing the word "slay" instead of

"slave," her having an understanding of what "slay" means is very advanced for a first grader.

Allison provided me with great insight into the mind of a first grader regarding Harriett

Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and fairness. However, perhaps, an African American child

may have seen Harriett Tubman as a relevant figure and slavery as a familiar concept.

Nonetheless, Allison was a great interviewee. I would like to conduct the same interview with

an African American child to see how the answers differ or how similar they may be.

Part 8AUTHENTIC

ERICA GREEN

TEACHING ACTIVITY

Authentic Teaching Activity Part IExploring the Big Idea and Targeting Understanding

Although my mentor teacher is not sure where she will be during the week of November

15th, by looking at the curriculum myself, I have been able to determine that she will be

somewhere in Unit Two, In My Community. I didn't realize, until I took a look at Maryland

State's Social Studies Curriculum for Grade 2, that children were introduced to Harriet Tubman

at such a young age. Lesson 21 is entitled Citizenship Skills - Harriet Tubman. There are three

"Essential Vocabulary" words that accompany Lesson 21: "treatment," "fairly," and "fairness." I

was a bit taken aback by the absence of the words "slave" and "slavery" because slavery would

have to be discussed if one were to explore Tubman. She is, unquestionably, best known for her

effort in aiding runaway slaves find freedom via the Underground Railroad.

In order to begin writing a lesson plan about Harriett Tubman I would first have to ask

my principal if discussing slavery was appropriate regarding first graders; this would be the first

form of necessary research that would have to be undertaken to teach this lesson. In this case,

both my instructor and mentor teacher have said that it is acceptable. Once given the okay, I

would then add the words "slave" and "slavery" to my vocabulary list which would lead me to

my second research project: Finding out what my students know about these four vocabulary

words.

(I assume that the word "citizenship" would have already been introduced during

previous lessons since it is a part of Lesson 21's title. If it had not been outlined in the state's

curriculum as an "essential vocabulary" word I would introduce it to the students along with the

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other four. "Underground Railroad" would, surely, be a new term as well, however, it would be

best to introduce it during the lesson so that it can be placed in a meaningful context.)

Instead of introducing the vocabulary by simply giving my students the definitions, I

would conduct an assessment, allowing them to discover the definitions on their own. Such an

assessment could come in the form of a fill-in-the-blanks worksheet. I would have a word bank

with the four vocabulary words and prompt students to utilize the words by filling in the blanks

in four corresponding sentences. After reviewing the data, I would better know where to being,

concerning the vocabulary. Of course, before teaching a lesson, a teacher must make sure that

his/her students will be able to make sense of (potentially) new vocabulary. After that, we would

have a short, open ended, discussion.

I would then go online and to the public library to see if I could find any first-grade-

student-friendly activities and books that explored the notions of treatment, fair(ly/ness),

slave(ry). This would be my third research project. Having something tangible, such as a library

book would be great to show students. Not only does it show them that the information is

important enough to be written about and published, but, also serves as an opportunity to briefly

discuss this great place full of shared books, a place that they can go to and enjoy.

This lesson's big idea would be Helping Others. The essential question would be Is

helping others ever a hard thing to do? The topics would be Harriett Tubman, The

Underground Railroad, and Citizenship. In any classroom community, or any community for

that matter, building a society in which people help others is very important. Children must learn

to help their neighbor. The classroom must be a place where children feel secure. If they need

to borrow a crayon or ask their neighbor to help them tie their shoe, they should feel safe enough

to do so. Not only does this allow students to be a part of a school family and gain a sense of

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belongingness, but, this is the beginning of growing into a productive citizen, one who is

interested in not only the best for him/her, but, one who is interested in what is best for all kind.

The goal of humanity is to arrive at a place in which we can all live in harmony, this

includes people as well as nature. A child who understands that they should treat others as they

would want to be treated is more likely to become a humanitarian than a child that does not.

Furthermore, as one gets older, they are expected, more and more, to be able to collaborate with

others. This occurs all the time in college and in the workforce. One who is nurtured to value

the importance of helping others will find these tasks (almost) effortlessness. Also, children who

understand what it means to be a good citizen may make it their business to be politically

informed adults. There is so must that can be done with the big idea Helping Others.

Harriett Tubman's story is a paradigm for the essential question Is helping others ever a

hard thing to do? Helping others was, without a doubt, unbelievably hard for her to do,

however, she did what she knew was right. This woman was all about self sacrifice. With first

graders it would be inappropriate to go into detail, however, it would be all right to explain how

she could have gotten into big trouble had she been caught. By asking students about times

when they had to help others, even though it was hard to do, they should be able to identify with

Tubman. A child may recall a time, for example, when they gave their younger sibling the last

scoop of ice cream even though they really wanted it. Like Tubman, they were exercising good

citizenship. Just as no person is better than another, no brother or sister deserves the last scoop

of ice cream more than another.

Moreover, children should understand what happen in America regarding slavery. An

authentic historical context can be illuminating. Even very young children may be aware of

certain stratification systems. Discussing slavery may be enlightening to students. Of course,

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this would be done on a very shallow level with first graders. Furthermore, children can cross

connect. By understanding how people like Tubman paved the way for Dr. Martin Luther King,

students may understand how first President George Washington paved the way for forty-forth

President Barack Obama, which would show the progress that this country has made since the

end of slavery. Again, Helping Others serves as a big idea that can cover a lot, as all big ideas

should.

Authentic Teaching Activity Part IIPre-assessing Students' Understanding and Establishing Learning Goals

Materials:1. Ms. Green wants to know what you think! worksheet

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Strategy Introduction, 4 minutes:"Okay boys and girls. I have an activity for you to do! This is another activity that I have designed to find out more about how you think, as first grade students. Will my paper helper please pass out worksheets to the blue and red table while I pass out worksheets to the orange and green table?" *Depending on which side of the room the paper helper sits on, the tables they are to pass the worksheets out to may vary.

The student teacher will then make sure that every student has a copy of the worksheet and place a copy on the visualizer.

"Will the class, quietly, please read the title of this worksheet together?"

The student teacher will wait for the students to read the title. The students may find the title to be compelling and may ask questions such as, "Why is this the title?" The student teacher will explain the meaning behind the title whether or not students ask, to stress the importance of them understanding that this task is not going to be counted as part of their school work and will, consequently, not be graded. "That's right, I titled this worksheet "Ms. Green wants to know what you think!" because I really do!

"Okay, let us begin. Please take out your privacy shields. Although this is not going to be graded, I want to make sure that everyone is able to focus on their own work. This is just for me to learn more about how first graders think. Do you have any questions?"

The student teacher will wait for students' responses and clarify if need be.

Strategy Support, 4 - 5 minutes:"Let us go over the words in the word bank." The student teacher will pronounce each word for the students.

"Without talking, please read each question to yourself as I read aloud."

The student teacher will read each statement, giving students time to fill in the blanks before moving on to the next statement. "'A blank is a person who is not free.' Please fill in your answer." This will repeat four more times with the remaining four questions.

Closing, 1 - 2 minutes:The student teacher will give the students about 20 seconds to look over their work. "Time is up, please hand your paper to [insert paper helper's name] or myself as we come around to collect them. You have all done a great job. Thank you."

Supplemental materials:

Ms. Green wants to know what you think!

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Name: ___________________________________

Directions: Please read each sentence to yourself asMs. Green reads each sentence out loud. Fill in the blanks using the words from the Word Bank below.

Word Bank

1. A _______________________ is a person who is not free.

2. _______________________ _______________________ helped others.

3. The _______________________ _______________________ was a path to freedom.

4. A nice person treats everyone _______________________.

5. A kind person practices good _______________________.

Reflection:

When designing the pre-assessment for ATA Part II, I decided to title the evaluation Ms.

Green wants to know what you think! I choose to do so because I did not expect the students to

be familiar with Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, or other vocabulary words/terms

relating to such subject matter. Some of the students have expressed feelings of frustration when

asked to answer open ended questions or questions stemming from subject matter that they are

citizenship Harriet Tubmanfairly

slave Underground Railroad

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unfamiliar with. The title reinforces the following: Sometimes Ms. Green will do activities with

the students so that she can learn more about the ways that first graders think. These activities

are not graded and are helpful to Ms. Green and her teachers in college. What you think, as

individual students, is very important! The students reacted positively to the title, so, from this

point on, I will be titling all worksheets with student friendly messages and affirmations.

When thinking about possible assessment results, I thought that the majority of students

would exhibit a lack of background knowledge. This is because they are so young and most of

them are not of Negro ancestry. Out of the nineteen students who took the assessment, three

filled in all five of fill-in-the blank statements correctly. One of these three children is from

Ethiopia (we will call him Samson), one child's parents are from El Salvador (we will call her

Selena), and the third child is, I believe is of European descent (we will call her Allison).

Samson and Selena sit right next to each other, so, I am a bit weary of copying. Samson's

paper shows no evidence of erasing, while Selena clearly had written "Harriett Tubman" prior to

changing her answer to number one to "slave." Samson is an extremely bright child and I would

like to assume that he is familiar with the topics relating to Harriet Tubman and slavery based on

his ethnic background. Selena is a bright child as well, however, I would not expect her to have

that much background knowledge.

As Allison did not display an understanding of the terms "Underground Railroad" and

"Harriet Tubman" when I interviewed her, I was a bit surprised to know that she completed both

questions correctly. However, Allison has exhibited very strong English language skills, so, I

believe that she was able to answer these two questions (and, ultimately, all five questions)

correctly by the process of elimination. Allison did so some erasing, however, there is no

evidence to suggest that she copied the answers of a fellow classmate.

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While no student completed four fill-in-the-blank statements correctly, seven students

completed three correctly. Interestingly enough, they all chose the correct answer for number

three which is "Underground Railroad." Four of these children are of Negro ancestry (we will

call them Billy, Emeka, Javian, and Aaliyah), two were born in El Salvador (we will call them

Edgar and Anita), and one child is, I believe, of European descent (we were call him Alexander).

Five out of these seven children all chose the correct answer for number two which is "Harriet

Tubman." These children are Javian, Aaliyah, Edgar, Anita, and Allison. I do believe, again,

that some copying may have occurred.

Javian and Edgar sit right next to each other and so do Aaliyah and Leslie; each pair had

the exact same answers. Incidentally, Javian and Aaliyah are strong English speakers, while

Edgar and Anita are English language learners and have struggled with written work. I would be

very surprised to know that Edgar and Anita came up with such answers on their own. Also, I do

believe that, being of Negro ancestry, the subject matter may be familiar to Javian and Aaliyah.

There is no evidence to suggest that Billy or Alexander copied the answers of fellow

classmates. The only student that Billy sits next to did not complete any of the statements

correctly. Alexander completed the first three fill-in-the-blank statements correctly. He is a very

bright child with a broad vocabulary and strong English language skills. However, Alexander

usually takes a very long time finishing his seatwork. In fact, Alexander has spent many recesses

completing unfinished work. Had he been given more time, I believe that he would have

answered all five statements correctly.

One student completed two fill-in-the-blank statements correctly. She is of Negro

ancestry (we will call her Keisha). Keisha completed numbers two and three correctly. While

she may be familiar with "Harriet Tubman" and the "Underground Railroad," and/or could have

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used English language skills to choose the correct words, Keisha showed no understanding of the

other three vocabulary words. I believe that the following may be a factor as well: Numbers two

and three both have two blank spaces separated by a space. Perhaps, Keisha understood that the

terms that were to complete these fill-in-the-bank statements must be comprised of two separate

words.

One child filled out one of the fill-in-the-blank statements correctly. He is of Hispanic

ethnicity Carlos chose the correct word for number one which is "slave." He sits next to Aaliyah,

who did not choose the correct answer for number one, and faces Billy, who did choose the

correct answer of "slave." I was surprised to see that he did have the correct answer, however, in

this case I am lead to believe that he came up with the answer on his own. I don't think that he

could have copied off of Billy because I had the children use their privacy shields, which he

could not have seen over. It is worth mentioning the fact that Carlos was only able to advance to

number two. On one line he wrote "Underground," while he wrote "Harriet Tubman" on the next

line. It is evident that he did not have any understanding of these terms.

Seven students did not complete any of the fill-in-the-blank statements correctly. One

child is of Negro ancestry (we will call her Latoya), five of these children are of Hispanic

ethnicity (we will call them Rico, Rafael, Carlito, Lorena, and Luz), and one of these children

was born in the Philippines (we will call her Min). These seven students' papers exhibited an

array of answers. While Latoya did not match any of the correct words to the statements, she did

exhibit a very strong understanding of the concept expressed in number five, as she answered

"Love." Latoya clearly understands the connection between kindness and love.

Other noteworthy features include the following: None of these seven students

demonstrated a true understanding of two word terms except for Carlito, as, though the answers

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were inverted, he did provide two word answers in sentences with two blank spaces (numbers

two and three). Min, who is a ELL student, wrote "underground Rubman" in the blank spaces of

numbers three and five. This was quite surprising, as she seemed to recognize the R in

"Railroad" but then looked just above the word in the word bank, confusing "Tubman" with

"Railroad." Min did place an x directly on top of the T in "Tubman." Perhaps, that caused her to

omit the T, unintentionally, all together.

Based on the assessment results, I think that the students who struggled would have done

better had they been given more room to work with. Paper larger than the standard eight and one

half by eleven inches did not allow me very much room to separate the terms in the word bank.

If they were further apart, the students may have been more proficient at differentiating between

the terms. Also, larger paper would have allowed me to give each statement more room to stand

out as an independent thought, allowing the children to focus on one fill-in-the-blank statement

at a time. Lastly, larger paper would have allowed me more room to visually bring attention to

the difference between statements with one blank space and statements with two blank spaces.

As just about half of the students who participated in the pre-assessment demonstrated no

understanding of any of the vocabulary words, my first learning goal is to have every student

learn how to use such words and correctly place them in new fill-in-the-blank statements. As

many of the children struggle with the English language, it would be realistic to aim for a fifty to

seventy five percent success rate among students who exhibit full understandings of all five

terms.

As the students are very young, I don't think that I should make them responsible for

memorizing definitions (memorization doesn't teach for understanding anyway). What I may do

is provide them with synonyms for "fairly" such as "nicely," "caringly," and "kindly." I would

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love to focus on root words, however, believe doing so will be presenting the young students

with too many objectives.

Synonyms for "citizenship" and "slave" are words that may be very hard for children to

understand and apply. So, the best way to cultivate understanding regarding these two words

may be by providing students with several examples and counter examples. For example, I may

say, "A person who practices good citizenship is well behaved... Is a student who calls another

student a bad name practicing good citizenship?" As the word "slave" may be a bit touchy, I

will simply explain to the students that a "slave" is a person who must work very hard and does

not get paid (Is this fair?). This is something that I must discuss further with my mentor teacher,

as I am unsure about how in depth the focus of the word "slave" should be with first grade

students.

The terms "Harriet Tubman" and "Underground Railroad" will have to be taught within

an authentic context. Therefore, I will articulate these terms to the students as often as possible

when exploring the subject matter with them. I may ask a student, example, "Was Harriett

Tubman a fair woman?" The student will have to answer the question beginning with "Harriett

Tubman..." Consistent exposure to the terms should foster understanding.

Because so much copying seems to have taken place during the pre-assessment, my

second goal is to teach my students the importance of not copying because copying is a dishonest

act. Most importantly, when a student copies, the teacher has no way of knowing what the

student thinks, knows, and, ultimately does not understand. I would attempt to achieve this

learning goal by consistently saying something along the following lines to the students: "I

know that everyone wants to do their best. And, sometimes, we want to do so well that we check

to see what our neighbor is doing. I appreciate you all wanting to do your best work, but, you

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cannot do your best work if you are copying off of one of your classmates. Your classmate may

have the right answer, but, they may also have the wrong answer. If you are copying, then you

won't know. Your teachers' job is to help you learn whatever you need help with. How can we

know what you need help with if you copy the work of others? This is why we want you to do

your own work."

Reflection and Revision Ideas:

When I was reviewing the pre-assessment that I had my students complete, I did feel that

it was a bit flawed. As noted in my original reflection, the students who had the strongest

English language skills did the best. Perhaps, they were able to decipher the material solely by

using their knowledge of English language grammar rules. One fill-in-the-blank statement, for

example, read as "____ ____ helped others." The only answer that truly would make sense is

"Harriet Tubman." There are two spaces, which allows students to see that the answer is

comprised of two words. "Underground Railroad," could serve as a distracter, as it is a term that

is comprised of two words, however, it would not be grammatically correct. "The Underground

Railroad helped others" would.

In order to truly assess the students' prior knowledge I would have had to allow them to

answer questions without using such persuasive techniques. This would not be easy, as they are

still in the stage of being emergent writers. I would like to have them simply write their answers

to the following question, for example , on paper: What does it mean to be a slave? Ideally, I

would plan far ahead so that I could interview each student over the course of several weeks,

allowing them to answer such questions orally, and, thus, allowing them to thoroughly answer

pre-assessment questions. Another possible pre-assessment could be promoting the students to

hold small group discussions. This would also activate prior knowledge.

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Authentic Teaching Activity Part IIILearning Plan Design

Lesson Title: Citizenship Skills – Harriet Tubman

Big Idea: Helping Others

Essential Question: Is helping others ever a hard thing to do?

Objective: Students will participate in class discussions about helping others and read and discuss a book about the life of Harriett Tubman in order to make connections between Harriett Tubman's role in the Underground Railroad and times with they helped others even though it was difficult. Also, students will be introduced to this iconic woman in order to see how she fits into American history.

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Lesson Plan Items*The lesson is designed span over an approximately 45 minute period.

Activities Eliciting Questions Materials

Engage 8 - 10 minutes

The students will participate in a community circle guided by the student teacher to discuss the topic of Helping Others. The student teacher will record student responses on the blackboard under the titles Ways to help others and Times when helping others was hard to do!

Do you remember a special time when you helped others – your parents, classmates, friends…? How did this make you feel? Do you remember a special time when someone helped you? How did that make you feel? Have you ever helped someone even though it was a hard thing to do? I help my grandmother a lot. There have been times when I really wanted to hang out with friends, but, stayed at home with my grandmother, for example, to cook dinner for her. Do you remember a time when you helped someone when maybe you weren’t really looking forward to it but you did so because you knew it was the right thing to do?

1. Blackboard.2. Chalk.

Explanation15 - 20 minutes

The student teacher will review the charts that have been made on the board paying special attention to the recordings that note times when students found helping others to be a hard thing to do. T he student teacher then asks students to take out the photo that

Before reading: Do you remember talking about this photo? We are going to read a story about the woman pictured in the photo. Her name is Harriett Tubman. Pre-assessment: Has any heard of her, slaver, or the underground railroad? During reading: The student teacher stops and provides clarification for the terms “slavery” and “Underground Railroad.” After reading: Is slavery fair? How would you feel if you had

1. Ways to help others and Times when helping others was hard to do! charts.2.

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they were given under the title What do you see? This is a photo of Harriett Tubman. The student teacher tells the class that we are going to learn about the woman in the photo. The student teacher then introduces the topic of slavery to the students and reads a book about Harriett Tubman to the class. The student teacher pays special attention to new concepts and vocabulary words.

to word hard all day and never got to play, read, or do any other fun things that you like to do? Do you think that Harriett Tubman could have gotten into trouble if she was caught? Do you think that it was hard for Harriett Tubman to help others who ran away to freedom using the path of the Underground Railroad? Why?

3.

Adler, David A., and Samuel

Byrd. A Picture Book

of Harriet Tubman.

New York: Scholastic,

1992. Print.

Accommodations for ELLs

Engage and Explanation: In my classroom, the only ELL students are those who are from the Hispanic community. I also have several high performing students who are

[Insert students’ names], would you like to work together during this activity? [Insert student’s name], would you please translate for [insert student’s name] during this lesson?

No materials needed.

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fluent in Spanish and English. These students will be asked to translate for my ELL students.Evaluation: ELLs may write their sentence in their native language.*** I would hope to find a copy of the book in the student’s native language or have it translated for him/her.

Evaluation8 - 10 minutes

Students will independently write one sentence about something that they have learned. The student teacher hopes that students will write about Harriett Tubman,

Do you remember something new that you enjoyed learning about today? Think about the story we read today and what we discussed. Please write one sentence about something that you learned today.

1. Paper2. Pencils

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the Underground Railroad, or slavery. However, the student teacher will not elicit such responses as this activity is designed to serve as a formal assessment aimed to evaluate student’s retention skills. The sentences will be collected and evaluated by the student teacher.

Closure7 - 9 minutes

Each student will read their sentence aloud until everyone has had a turn to share.

Why did you choose to write about [insert topic/idea/concept]? Does anybody have a similar idea? [Insert student’s name] what do you think about [insert student’s name] idea? Why do you feel this way?

1. Students’ sentences.

Authentic Teaching Activity Part IVReflection

When I looked at Maryland's social studies curriculum and saw that Harriet Tubman was

set to be a focus around the time that we were to conduct the Authentic Teaching Activity, I was

very excited to research, plan, and implement a lesson about her, the Underground Railroad, and

slavery. Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and slavery are important topics for

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students to be exposed to. Tubman is a great American historical figure. Moreover, because she

is an African American woman, she is a person that minority students (the demographic that is a

majority in my first grade classroom) can see themselves in. So often, such students do not learn

about people who they can truly relate to. The study of Underground Railroad would teach

young children so much about the power of teamwork, what is means to help others, as well as

what it means to be brave. Finally, slavery is an important part of American history as

understanding the dynamics of slavery is important in understanding today's racial stratification

systems.

I began my research by interviewing one student, asking her questions relevant to the

topic and then giving my students a pre-assessment in the form of a fill-in-the-blank worksheet.

Specifically, the worksheet was designed to assess the students' understanding of the concepts of

citizenship, fairly, Harriet Tubman, slave, and [the] Underground Railroad. Students who

possessed strong English language skills did very well including the child who I had interviewed

before the pre-assessment. During the interview, she exhibited no knowledge of Harriet

Tubman, slave, or [the] Underground Railroad.

This led me to realize that the pre-assessment was flawed because several students were,

perhaps, able to decipher the material solely by using their knowledge of English language

grammar rules. In order to truly assess (as well as activate) students background knowledge, I

would have put them in small groups (making sure to stagger students within each group

according to reading level, ethnicity and so on) and simply asked them to discuss topics to be

explored.

Designing the actual lesson was fairly simple. I thought mostly about how I could lead

the students towards making relevant connections to the material. Through class discussions

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prompted by eliciting questions such as, "Do you remember a time when you helped others -

your parents, classmates, friends...?" during the engagement portion of the lesson, and "How

would you feel if you had to work hard all day and never get to play, read, or do any other fun

things that you like to do?" after exploring Tubman and related topics through a reading,

students should be able to draw significant meanings from the areas of study. In an effort to

formally assess what the students retained from the lesson (as well as integrate language arts), I

planned to ask students to have each student independently write one sentence about something

new that that they learned. I would not elicit responses as, again, this is designed to be a

formal assessment. To provide closure, each student would read their sentence aloud and mini

discussions would follow.

Given the diversity in today's public schools, it is always important to think about how

to accommodate English language learners during every lesson. In my classroom, the only

ELL students are those who are from the Hispanic community. I also have several high

performing students who are fluent in Spanish and English. These students will be asked to

translate for my ELL students during the engage and explanation portion of the lesson. During

the evaluation, ELL students may write their sentence in their native language if they choose to

do so. I would hope to find a copy of the book in the students' native languages or have it

translated so that such students could comprehend as much information relating to the lesson as

possible.

Due to abrupt schedule changes, I was not given the opportunity to actually conduct the

social studies lesson that I had planned. This is a great disappointment to me because I worked

hard in researching and preparing for the lesson. I believe that it would have been a great

success.

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Part 9PEER PORTFOLIO HANDOUT

Index Part AThe index was designed to help viewers navigate through the portfolio pages.

Forward Part B

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In the forward, I introduce to the portfolio presentation by explaining the dynamics of the student teaching internship, the course EDCI322, the process by which the assignments were compiled, and a brief overview of why social studies must be given a rebirth or sorts.

The Value of Social Studies Statement Part 1This statement explores the many questions that my never be answered unless explored within the world of social studies and the many areas of study within the subject matter such as "How can a child who has not explored civics become an educated voter?"

ELL Statement Part 2English language learners often find themselves at a disadvantage when in classrooms because of language barriers. The ELL statement explores was to make Christopher Columbus' 1492 voyage to America more meaningful to English language learners through the use of tangible objects such as a sink, a globe, and realistic colonial toy ships.

Sis, Peter. Follow the Dream: the Story of Christopher Columbus. New York:

Trumpet Club, 1992. Print.

Other Materials:1. Three colonial style toy ships.2. Sink or water container.3. Globe.4. Realistic toy figures of Native Americans and Columbus and his voyagers.5. Large cutouts of the years 1492 and 2010 (or present year.6. Enthusiasm!

Trade Book Review Part 3For this assignment, I reviewed and rated Harriet Tubman and Black History Month by Polly Carter. The book explores the life of Harriet Tubman, her escape to freedom, the Underground Railroad, and the horrors of slavery in a candid yet student friendly manner. The only flaw in this book can be found on the cover. While it is a thoughtful notion, “Let’s Celebrate Harriet Tubman and Black History Month,” such an idea marginalizes this American Hero. I gave this book a rating of 8.5/10.

Carter, Polly, and Brian Pinkney. Harriet Tubman and Black History Month.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Silver, 1990. Print.

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Web Lesson Plan Part 4This is a critique of a lesson entitled The American Flag. The original lesson plan can be found at <http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSArtTheAmericanFlagAndItsSymbolsK2.htm>. The critique is complete with suggested revisions and supplemental materials.

Primary Documents Part 5For this assignment, I presented my first grade class with a photo of Harriet Tubman as a before lesson activity in order to help them make connections to her story and her photo at a later time. I would like to explore the following quote with my students which can coincidentally be found in the book that I choose for the Trade Book Review Assignment.

<http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-harriettubman.html>

“I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger." - Harriet Tubman<http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/quotes/a/qu_h_tubman.htm>

Microteaching Write-up Part 6Once the final lesson plan for the Authentic Teaching Activity was complete, we brought our plans to class and practiced teaching our lessons to classmates as though they were our students. This write-up is a reflection exploring that experience.Student Interview Write-up Part 7The Student Interview was one of the first assignments that we were given. This served as a pre-assessment for my final lesson plan. I wanted to get a general idea about what children knew and thought about Harriet Tubman, slavery, the Underground Railroad, and fairness. The student I interviewed knew a great deal about fairness, providing me with much insight. She did not know anything about the other topics to be explored.

Authentic Teaching Activity Parts I - IV Part 8

ERICA GREEN

Adler, David A., and Samuel Byrd. A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman. New York:

Scholastic, 1992. Print.

Peer Portfolio Handout Part 9The Peer Portfolio Handout has been designed to provide classmates with a summary of our portfolios as well as provide them with information regarding resources and materials that were used when completing course assignments.

Course Syllabus Part CHere one may find the course syllabus for the University of Maryland's Fall 2010 Session of EDCI322(A) Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education: Social Studies.

Part CCOURSE SYLLABUS

ERICA GREEN

A Conceptual Framework for Teaching