Learning Outcomes

Writing Application: 2E2b2: Write a brief description of a familiar object, person, place, or event that develops a main idea and uses details to support the main idea. 2Eb.3: Write a friendly letter complete with date, salutation, body, closing, and signature. Civics and Government 2SS1.a: Explain why it is necessary for the community to have government. 2SS1.b: Explain the roles people in the community have in making and changing laws.

Key Concepts and Content

Government jobs, voting, local government, and good citizens. Writing applications using the letter format for persuasion. Research applications regarding the impending election. Listening skills for critical information.

Connections to Students Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

Presidential election Our class voting process House or classroom rules

Evidence of Learning (Product of Assessment):

Write letter to city council (principal) about a law (rule) to change Extra credit: report on a town hall meeting Report on the presidential election in our class in your journal.

Teaching Strategies & Sequence: 1. Opening

Voting for our class/country president today What are we to look for in a good leader? Qualities? Skills? Experience? Brain Pop video: Local Government

If some students struggle with this learning, I/they will

If he or she is shy about writing to the principal, a letter can be written to mom or dad. ELL website research Small guided reading

2. Instruction
How would we go about changing a rule in our classroom? Chart ideas for rule (s) to change and the whys

If some students master this learning quickly, I/they will

Could write a letter about changing a law in the government Attend a town hall meeting and write a report Suggest other texts or research areas

3. Guided Practice
Brainstorm thenhow to go about changing them House rules Base laws What makes a good citizen? Voting, participation, obeying laws Who would you nominate in our class as a good citizen and why?

4. Extension Activities or Independent Practice

Brainstorm (whole group) writing to the principal about a school rulewrite a letter to the principal about a rule change. Write about being a good citizen (in you apartment building, in your home, in your classroom) Small reading group extension: Guided readers that are leveled for content.

Materials and Resources:

Time for kids: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/understandingissues/44461 ELL http://www.colorincolorado.org/web_resources/by_type_of_organization/g overnment_agencies_programs/

Source of Strategies
Basal Readers: providing additional support of content and reading (Opitz, Rubin, &Erekson, 2011, p. 188) Magazines: becoming magazine literate is another form of understanding published organization (Opitz, 2011, p. 197).

Learning Outcomes
2E1a1 Phonemic Awareness 2E1a2 Decoding and Word Recognition 2E2c8 Spelling

Key Concepts and Content

Furthering the understanding of the whys of the sorts and word patterns. Recognizing other likeness in words. Making connections.

Connections to Students Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

Presidential election Our class voting process House or classroom rules

Evidence of Learning (Product of Assessment):

T observation in small group: word sort / writing. Guided reading: word connections. Daily Journal / writing notebook: spelling corrections. Formal: spelling test

Teaching Strategies & Sequence: 1. Opening T will review words with S and their
meanings. T will review sort T will let S know that today they will perform an other word sort T will ask student s if they recognize another pattern T will ask S to pair up and create another word pattern S will share new sorts and share reasons why T asks S for explanations T deepens thought process with guided questions S evoke further thinking in small group with peers

If some students struggle with this learning, I/they will

Provide additional support through small group instruction ELL: assist in vocabulary with picture definitions Interactive whiteboard activity

2. Instruction

If some students master this learning quickly, I/they will

Encourage peer/buddy assist Suggest word hunt activities Recording of sorts in journals Correcting daily journal writings from past with new knowledge

3. Guided Practice

4. Extension Activities or Independent Practice

S may go on a word hunt in a book for more words that fit sound patterns S may test each other on words S may find more other sorts and record in notebook S may sort words on magnetic surface (manipulative, Appendix A). Use of SmartBoard interactive activity

Materials and Resources:

Words Their Way resource books http://www.pearson.com.au/educator/primary/latest-teacher-resources/words-their-way/

Source of Strategies
Words Their Way Types of words sorting (Opitz, 2011, p. 258) Context clues word hunt (Optiz, 2011, p. 260). Manipulative see Appendix A.