Thematic Unit BY: JENN

Lesson Plan: EAZELL

MALT 609/EDUC 509
3rd Grade Social Studies
Theme: Heroes
 Learning Target &
Success Criteria
Learning Target: I can identify and describe the qualities of heroes in my
community and throughout history.

Success Criteria:
1. I can define what a hero is in my own words.
2. I can identify at least three heroes from my community or in history, and
explain why they are heroes.
3. I can describe the qualities and actions that make someone a hero.
4. I can share my thoughts and opinions about heroes using academic
language.
5. I can create a simple art project and piece of writing that represents a
hero of my choice and explain why they are a hero to me.
 California Common Core
State Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to
the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support
the main idea.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.3: Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or
concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.7: Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text
to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.7: Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources;
take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.4.D: Use glossaries or beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the
precise meaning of key words and phrases in all content areas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.5.B: Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are
friendly or helpful).
SU N MON TUE WE D T HU FRI SA T

DAYS OF
1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12
UNIT: 5*

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

MONDAY-FRIDAY*
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 *WITH THE OPTION TO
EXTEND/POSTPONE FINAL
LESSON & ASSESSMENT IF
27 28 29 30 RETEACHING IS NEEDED OR IF
DAILY LESSONS TAKE LONGER
THAN ANTICIPATED
I will conduct informal/formative assessments throughout
the lessons by observing them during small group times
(Think-Pair-Shares, Get One Give One worksheet times, and
independent work time) and evaluating their responses on
Exit Tickets as well as in whole class discussions.

As for summative assessments, the final art project will FORMATIVE AND
SUMMATIVE
serve as an end of a unit evaluation tool to assess their
understanding of the characteristics of a hero and their
ability to write a clear, well-thought-out response to the
writing prompts. Additionally, I could administer a test to ASSESSMENTS
close out the unit that assesses their understanding of
heroic characteristics and vocabulary, and their basic
knowledge of the heroes discussed from history and of
community heroes.
Into
Address the Know in the KWL chart to activate prior knowledge of what the children
already know about heroes, and assess who and what they view as heroes. Students
will record their responses on Post-it notes to share their answers on the whole
group's KWL chart that we will come back to throughout the week.
Introduce their history journals where they will take notes, answer questions about

DAY 1
the heroes discussed throughout the week, and where they will paste their definition
and draw vocabulary worksheets.

Through
Define related vocabulary words used throughout the unit on a worksheet
where they will define the word, use it in a sentence, and draw a picture.
Vocabulary Words: hero, important, role model, community, history,
Introduction
courage, brave, helpful, honest, moral integrity, conviction, heroic deeds,
etc. to Heroes unit
Cut and paste each vocabulary word from the worksheet in their history
journals.
Teachers can assess students' understanding of a hero through the KWL and in
their individual work on the vocabulary worksheet by checking their journals at
the end of the day.

Beyond
Students will complete an Exit Ticket on their current understanding of a hero
and reflection on the new words learned today. I will use the exit ticket to
assess children's comfortability, familiarity, and understanding of the
introductory lesson.
 Day 1:
Heroes in
History
Vocabulary
Worksheet
 Into
Address what students Want-to-Learn for the W of in the KWL chart to
engage students' specific interests. Students will you use Post-it notes to
share their answers on the whole group's KWL chart. Based on the responses,
the teacher will add, modify, and adapt planned lessons to fit the interests of

Day 2
my unique students needs/desires.

Through
Read one short story ("Through My Eyes" by Ruby Bridges), show the famous art piece The
Problem We All Live With by Norman Rockwell (examine it closely together as a class using
wondering and observational questions), and watch one video (Clara Barton: Her Life and Legacy

Heroes in History: from The American Red Cross on Youtube) for the two historically significant heroes of the day
(Ruby Bridges & Clara Barton) and address the example they serve for all kinds of people from
people of color to women, or to technological/spiritual/social advances for all humankind. The use

Part One
of a video and a text allows for a diverse exploration of literacy and differentiates the lesson for
EL learners. This lesson also is culturally responsive because it is integral that we choose heroes
that represent the diverse compositions of our classroom.
During each story, talk about important details throughout the story such as things that make
Clara Barton them special, how they were strong, how they made an impact on the world, facts, beliefs and
heroic deeds (actions) of these people. They will record the answers on a hero descriptive

Ruby Bridges
worksheet that contains many of these important questions discussed. Cut and paste the
questions and answers from the worksheet onto that specific heroes page in our history journals.

Beyond
Students will complete an Exit Ticket on the heroes discussed today and reflect
on the hero that they connected with the most today and why. I will use the exit
ticket to assess the children's connection to the topic for today. I will also review
their journal at the end of the day to assess their acquisition of new knowledge of
these potentially new heroes that they learned about.
Click for Day 2:
link to
video
Heroes in
History
Videos/Readings
on Clara Barton
& Ruby Bridges
 Day 2:
Heroes in History
Sample of Hero Notes worksheet

Teacher Note: To be completed

together as a class and
displayed under a projector or
screen shared.
Into
The teacher will engage the children in a discussion on the heroes discussed yesterday.

DAY 3
First, the teacher will ask the whole class who they remember we learned about
yesterday. Then, the teacher will lead the class in a Think-Pair-Share as they are asked
to reflect on the previous heroes from yesterday. Question: What was one fun fact that
you remember from yesterday about one of the heroes we talked about? (Example:
Clara Barton was a nurse and helped people during the war).

Through
Read one short article on Ellen Ochoa and watch one video (DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
REMEMBERED by National Geographic Kids) for the two historically significant heroes of the
day (Ellen Ochoa and Martin Luther King Jr.) and address the example they serve for all kinds
Heroes in History:
of people from people of color to women, or for technological/spiritual advances for all
humankind, the good deeds (actions) they did, and facts about them in a class discussion. The
use of a video and a text allows for a diverse exploration of literacy and differentiates the
lesson for both EL and visual learners. This lesson also is culturally responsive because it is
Part 2
integral that we choose heroes that represent the diverse compositions of our classroom and
show all kinds of people in real, positive, and stereotype-breaking lights.
During the reading and video, students will complete a Give One, Get One activity for each hero
where they will gather 3 facts about their hero, and then after the video they will complete Ellen Ochoa
the worksheet by getting up and collaborating with their classmates to gather 3 more facts
about their hero that they do not have already.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Beyond
The teacher will close this activity by reflecting with students on things we
have learned about these characters and creating a mind map demonstrating
the characteristics that many of the discussed heroes share. The mind map
will be left up in the classroom with the defined characteristics of a hero for
the remainder of the unit. (Possible characteristics of a Hero to include, but
not limited to are: Bravery, Conviction, Courage, Determination, Helpful,
Honesty, Inspirational, Moral integrity, etc.)
 Day 3:
Heroes in History
Videos/Readings on Ellen Ochoa
& Martin Luther King Jr.

Click for link

to video
 DAY 4 Into
Community Heroes The teacher will engage the children in a discussion on the heroes discussed
yesterday. First, the teacher will ask the whole class who they remember we
learned about yesterday. Then, the teacher will lead the class in a Think-Pair-Share
Firefighters as they are asked to reflect on the previous heroes from yesterday. Question: What
was one fun fact that you remember from yesterday about one of the heroes we
Police Officers talked about?

Ambulance Workers Through

Read the children's book Hello! Hometown Heroes by Toni Armier. During the book,
Teachers students will identify heroes in their community, what their jobs are, and the qualities
that those heroes have that make them important.
Many more! We will read the book twice. For the first read, students are simply listening. The second
read-through is intended for information gathering. After the second read-through of
the book, students will complete another page to be added into their history journals on
the jobs and qualities of each of the four listed community heroes.

Beyond
Students will complete a letter to a community hero of their choice thanking
them for the work they do in our community. We will discuss possible ways we
can thank these heroes as a whole class and then the teacher will project the
paper with the sentence frames on the board to help students write their
letter to their chosen community hero.
 Day 4:
Community
Heroes
First Responders
Worksheet
Letter with Sentence Frames Copy of letter that student's
projected on the board: will write on:

Day 4:
Community
Heroes
"Letter to a
Community Hero"
Closing Activity
 Into
The teacher will engage the children in a discussion on the heroes that we talked about yesterday.
First, the teacher will ask the whole class what they remember we learned about yesterday and the
days before. Then, the teacher will lead the class in completing the L in our KWL chart to demonstrate
what we learned about heroes as a whole class by sharing on a Post-it their individual thoughts,

DAY 5
opinions, and realizations. Students can write their names on the Post-it or anonymously share their
thoughts/learnings on the L portion of the KWL chart.

Through
The majority of today's lesson will be on creating an art project that represents who their hero is.
Their hero can be an influential person in history, a community hero, someone special in their life who
My Hero Art & they believe has the characteristics of a hero, or even themselves! Tell students to use their journals
where we made notes on the characteristics of a hero to help them with the writing portion of their
project. They will explain whom they chose and why (Possible Questions to get them started: What

Writing Project:
heroic characteristics do they have?, What their job is? and what makes them special to you?).
Instructions for Project:
Art portion: Students will create the superhero versions of the hero in their lives (or a self-
portrait if it is themselves) using construction paper and drawing materials. The teacher will
display samples on the board of how the project may look and how they might make their own.
Written portion: Students will fill in the sentence frames provided on a rough draft and then write
the final draft on a nice, white-lined paper provided by the teacher. Sentence frames include: My
hero is _______. I chose them to be my hero because ______. They have the hero-like qualities of
_______. They are special to me because ______.
Materials needed: coloring supplies (pencils and crayons), pencils, thin black marker to trace writing
that's in pencil, paper template for writing portion of the project, construction papers of various
colors to create their superhero with.

Beyond
At the very end of the art lesson, the teacher will review the KWL chart together to examine what we
knew, what we wanted to learn, and what we learned at the end of the unit by reading individual Post-
its posted on the chart and taking time to discuss as a class. Students will be asked to turn in their art
projects at the end to display them in the classroom/hallway (Our Hero Hall of Fame), and, eventually,
take them home to share with their families.
 Day 5:
My Superhero
Writing & Art
Project
 Reference Page
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Hometown-Heroes-Toni-Armier/dp/1953344089/ref=asc_df_1953344089/?tag=hyprod-
20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=508963787488&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7550534593467080671&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&h
vdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031250&hvtargid=pla-1239810706257&psc=1
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Heroes-Unit-3rd-Grade-Social-Studies-Traits-of-Hero-991364?
st=756037a2753941b76c1df030fa4f104f
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocabulary-Template-4359269?st=644cf4afe054374b7869579d41083119
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLwvH-k9JeU
https://learn.nrm.org/curricula/four-freedoms-curriculum-3-5-read-aloud-through-my-eyes-by-ruby-bridges/
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/martin-luther-king-jr
https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/heroes-and-our-community/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/413768284525804408/
https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf
https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt