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Strategies Portfolio Each of the strategies I have selected relate to each other nicely. The goal is to create a classroom with st dents are res!onsi"le for their actions while learning a"o t real#world a!!lications. Strategy 1: Establishing a Democratic Classroom. $. TE%S &$$3.'(. Social St dies) a. *$+, Citi-enshi!. The st dent nderstands the rights and res!onsi"ilities of citi-ens of the United States. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. */, define and give e.am!les of naliena"le rights0 ii. *1, s mmari-e rights g aranteed in the 1ill of 2ights0 iii. *C, e.!lain the im!ortance of !ersonal res!onsi"ilities3 incl ding acce!ting res!onsi"ility for one4s "ehavior and s !!orting one4s family0 iv. *D, identify e.am!les of res!onsi"le citi-enshi!3 incl ding o"eying r les and laws3 staying informed on ! "lic iss es3 voting3 and serving on 5 ries0 and v. *6, e.!lain how the rights and res!onsi"ilities of U.S. citi-ens reflect o r national identity. '. 7rade 8. 3. 9verview) The o!timal time to create a democratic classroom is the first wee: of school. /fter a series of disc ssions3 "rainstorming3 and m t al agreements a set of e.!ectations are created. It is im!erative the in! t is from all st dents and the teacher. The o"5ective is to create a learning environment0 not 5 st a set of r les. The st dents have in! t for the arrangement of the classroom f rnit re3 learning !references3 teaching !references3 as well as3 st dent actions and activities.

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The !remise is st dents learning res!onsi"ility for actions3 " ild decision#ma:ing s:ills3 and learn the im!ortance of o r democratic !rocess. /n im!ortant note is the teacher can "e tho ght of as the President and the st dents are the voters. Strategy 2: Mock Trials. $. TE%S &$$3.'(. Social St dies) a. *$+, Citi-enshi!. The st dent nderstands the rights and res!onsi"ilities of citi-ens of the United States. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. */, define and give e.am!les of naliena"le rights0 ii. *1, s mmari-e rights g aranteed in the 1ill of 2ights0 iii. *C, e.!lain the im!ortance of !ersonal res!onsi"ilities3 incl ding acce!ting res!onsi"ility for one4s "ehavior and s !!orting one4s family0 iv. *D, identify e.am!les of res!onsi"le citi-enshi!3 incl ding o"eying r les and laws3 staying informed on ! "lic iss es3 voting3 and serving on 5 ries0 and v. *6, e.!lain how the rights and res!onsi"ilities of U.S. citi-ens reflect o r national identity. '. 7rade 8. 3. 9verview) ;oc: trials are intended to familiari-e st dents to o r legal system. ;oc: trials give o!!ort nities to st dents for ! "lic s!ea:ing3 accent ating the significance of research3 critical thin:ing s:ills enhanced3 and teamwor:. In order to create a thenticity to act al co rt !roceedings3 it may "e necessary to recr it an e.!ert3 s ch as3 a 5 dge3 defense attorney3 or a !rosec tor. St dents ta:e vario s roles in the co rt !roceeding3 yet teamwor: is vital to s ccess. St dents can video each !roceedings to gain insight for im!rovement.

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/s st dents !rogress thro gh the learning !rocess of the United States legal system new a!!lications can "e introd ced. 6or e.am!le3 the legal systems of different co ntries or settling classroom infractions as set forth in the democratic classroom. The !ossi"ilities are endless with some imagination. Strategy 3:Mini-Society. $. TE%S &$$3.$8. Social St dies) a. *+, Economics. The st dent nderstands the vario s ways in which !eo!le organi-e economic systems. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. */, com!are ways in which vario s societies organi-e the !rod ction and distri" tion of goods and services0 ii. *1, com!are and contrast free enter!rise3 socialist3 and comm nist economies in vario s contem!orary societies3 incl ding the "enefits of the U.S. free enter!rise system0 iii. *C, nderstand the im!ortance of morality and ethics in maintaining a f nctional free

enter!rise system0 and iv. *D, e.amine the record of collective3 non#free mar:et economic systems in contem!orary world societies. '. 7rade 6. 3. 9verview) The mini#society is a form of economics instr ction in which st dents !artici!ate in a classroom society in order to mimic real world activity. In a mini#society3 st dents earn !lay money in a variety of ways and s!end it at a class store3 class a ction3 or at stores o!erated "y their classmates. ;ini#society activities fl ct ate "roadly3 st dents characteristically a!!ly for classroom 5o"s3 r n " sinesses3 !ay ta.es3 " y rental !ro!erties3

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and ma:e investments. The mini#society is3 in effect3 a minisc le economic system o!erating within the reg lar classroom. Strategy 4: Video rod!ctions. $. TE%S &$$3.$+. Social St dies) a. *'(, Science3 technology3 and society. The st dent nderstands the im!act of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on the !olitical3 economic3 and social develo!ment of Te.as. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. */, com!are ty!es and ses of technology3 !ast and !resent0 ". *'$, Social st dies s:ills. The st dent a!!lies critical#thin:ing s:ills to organi-e and se information ac< ired thro gh esta"lished research methodologies from a variety of valid so rces3 incl ding electronic technology. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. *E, s !!ort a !oint of view on a social st dies iss e or event0 *6, identify "ias in written3 oral3 and vis al material0 '. 7rade 7. 3. 2ecogni-ing the !ossi"ilities of video !rod ction de!ends on !roviding st dents o!!ort nities to learn and thin: dee!ly a"o t content material. St dents can create doc mentaries3 lessons3 and record the s ccess of the other strategies mentioned a"ove. I have had st dents e.!lain thro gh video recordings3 s ch as3 safety r les3 weather3 =ewton>s ?aws and many other to!ics. @ideo !rod ctions re< ire st dents to se their research3 creativity3 critical thin:ing s:ills3 ectrea. Strategy ": Cemetery St!dies. $. TE%S &$$3.$8. Social St dies)

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a. *$, Aistory. The st dent nderstands that historical events infl ence contem!orary events. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. *1, analy-e the historical "ac:gro nd of vario s contem!orary societies to eval ate relationshi!s "etween !ast conflicts and c rrent conditions. ". *', Aistory. The st dent nderstands the infl ences of individ als and gro !s from vario s c lt res on vario s historical and contem!orary societies. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. *1, eval ate the social3 !olitical3 economic3 and c lt ral contri" tions of individ als and gro !s from vario s societies3 !ast and !resent. c. *$B, C lt re. The st dent nderstands the similarities and differences within and among c lt res in vario s world societies. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. */, define c lt re and the common traits that nify a c lt re region0 ii. 1, identify and descri"e common traits that define c lt res. d. *'$, Social st dies s:ills. The st dent a!!lies critical#thin:ing s:ills to organi-e and se information ac< ired thro gh esta"lished research methodologies from a variety of valid so rces3 incl ding electronic technology. The st dent is e.!ected to) i. *1, analy-e information "y se< encing3 categori-ing3 identifying ca se#and#effect relationshi!s3 com!aring3 contrasting3 finding the main idea3 s mmari-ing3 ma:ing generali-ations and !redictions3 and drawing inferences and concl sions0 ii. *C, organi-e and inter!ret information from o tlines3 re!orts3 data"ases3 and vis als3 incl ding gra!hs3 charts3 timelines3 and ma!s. '. 7rade 6.

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3. Cemeteries can teach history0 everything from the location in relation to towns C cities to the

art of the gravestones. Cemeteries can show the im!act of disease or mortality on the town. St dents do a s rvey of individ al stones to see what !atterns develo!. St dents can develo! !atterns "y charting the changes in iconogra!hy3 str ct re and location of gravestones. St dents can determine when new ethnic gro !s arrived and their life e.!ectancy rates. Driting inscri!tions on the stone can "e o"served and commented on for cl es a"o t the c lt re. There is a variety of !ro5ects which can "e derived from st dying cermeteries. If a field tri! is o t of the < estion3 the teacher can vent re to a cemetery*s, to !hotogra!h the headstones. If a field tri! can "e sched led0 the teacher sho ld ta:e care in creating strict g idelines for the visit.