AMERICAN
HEROES

 
CHRIS SPRAGGINS

 
Introduction
Standards
Objectives
Activities
Assessment
Resources

 
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Introduction

Students in grade two explore the lives of actual people who make a difference in their everyday lives and learn the stories of extraordinary people from history whose achievements have touched them, directly or indirectly.

Subject:  SOCIAL STUDIES
Topic:  FAMOUS PEOPLE
 Grade Level: SECOND GRADE
URL: http://ctap295.ctaponline.org/~cspraggi/student/
Standards Addressed

Social Studies

  2.5 Students understand the importance of individual action and character and explain how heroes from long ago and the recent past have made a difference in others' lives  from biographies of  such famous people as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington Carver, Martin Luther King, Jr., Sally Ride.

 
Instructional Objectives
  1. After analyzing information from The Encarta CD, students will be able to understand the importance of famous people.
  2. After visiting teacher chosen web sites of famous people, students will be able to name someone who has made a difference in people's lives, and tell what he or she does.
  3. After collecting information from The Encarta CD and web sites, students will be able to draw a picture of someone important (a hero) and describe the historical importance of that person.
  4. After reading Social Studies textbook "People Together" students will be able to identify individuals of various groups who have contributed to their community, state, or country.
  5. Students will be able to identify famous people in a Power Point multimedia presentation.
  6. Students will be able to present their findings  to an audience of peers and adults by stating five to ten facts about their hero.

    7.  
    Student Activities

    Students will begin  the unit of study by defining what makes a hero. Students will then proceed to list their known heroes forming the beginnings of a KWL chart, and form a list of heroes  they want to learn about.  Students will see teacher's power point presentation on heroes. Students will go online to various web sites to read, see, and hear various famous persons.  Students will have access to The Encarta CD to look up famous persons.  Students will draw a portrait of their famous person and give a brief description of that person using chosen library books or printouts.  Students will end the unit by orally presenting to the class five to seven facts about their famous person. 

    Enabling Activity
                       After reseaching various heroes, students will write five to ten facts about their chosen hero.  Culminating Activity
                                     Students will demonstrate  their knowledge of their selected hero by orally presenting to the class five to ten facts about a hero.
                   Assessments

                       Students will take a three questions pre and post test on heroes.Students will receive a plus if all three are correct, a check if two are correct, and a minus if one or none are correct.  Students will be graded on their oral presentation with either a minus, check, or plus.  A minus if they did less than three facts, a check if just three, and a plus if more than three. Students are made aware of these rubrics.

    Web Resources & Supplementary
                    Materials 
           
                     George Washington
    http://www.history.org/people/washhdr.htm
    Description: A George Washington biography, a description of his time in Williamsburg, and an excerpt from the book Duel in the Wilderness.

        Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr.
    http://www.pps.k12.or.us/district/depts/itss/buckman/timeline/kingframe.html
    Description: Here are links to a student illustrated story and text of "I Have A Dream" speech.
    Comments: Original artwork and stories are outstanding. These children's drawings about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life will inspire you to develop a similar student project in your classroom. 
    Resource Type: Literature/Story
    Graphics Content: High
     

                      Heroes Chart
       This site  has 72 heroes to select from.  Just click on the 
                       hero of your choice.
     
     
     

    Power Point Presentation
     
     
     
     


     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

                      MEADOW LANE ELEMENTARY
                        2770 Balls Ferry Rd. Anderson, CA 96007
                      Chris Spraggins cspraggins@shastalink.k12.ca.us
                        Last Revised: 3/24/01