Fourth Grade Thematic Unit Lesson Plan

Teacher: Dora Casimir

Lesson Title: Market Economy Specialization

Lesson #: 2

Time Required: 50 min

Grade: 4th

Rationale:
In relation to last week, once youve got your resources, you are going to have to go
through the process of making your products. If you want to make lots of one thing, you
are going to have to implement specialization and division of labor. For students, it is
important to recognize that it is much easier for people to become really good at one
thing than try to be good at lots of things. Specialization occurs not just in assembly lines,
but in school, sports, and much more!

Standard(s)-Common Core State Standard (CCSS):

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
Standard(s)-Social Studies GLCE:
4 E1.0.5 Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity (e.g.,
assembly line). (H)

Language Arts Objective:

The learner will be able to begin planning their writing by adding ideas to at least 3
sections of a given outline.
Content Objectives:
After being introduced to the concepts of specialization and division of labor, the learners
will be able to collaborate to improve their assembly time.
Given a scenario, the learner will be able to provide a written response in which they
provide two pieces of evidence that demonstrate how specialization and division of labor
increase productivity.

Assessment:
After assembling crayon boxes individually, students will collaborate to decide on how
they can specialize/divide the labor so that they can improve on their original time.
After the assembly activity, students will be able to choose between two writing prompts.
In either, students must provide two pieces of evidence that demonstrate that
specialization and division of labor increase productivity.
The learner will be able to complete the three sections on the first page of their business
plan outline (product name, product description, resources).
The student will receive a (working toward), check mark (meets), or + (exceeds) for
each of the above assessments.

Key Vocabulary (Academic/Content)

Assembly line
Specialization
Division of labor
Productivity
Efficient

Materials
Paper & Pencils
Individual Word Walls
Learning Logs
Week 2 image (from last week)
48ct crayon box, disassembled
Crayon color list
The Goat in the Rug by Charles L.
Blood
Business plan outlines (1 per
student)

Anticipatory Set (Getting Started) {5 min}

To begin the lesson, revisit the images used to introduce the unit. Talk about students
ideas that they had about this weeks topic. Based on what they learned about resources
last week, do they have any new ideas to add?
Tell students that once they have all of their resources, they are going to have to make, or
produce, their product. One way that we do that is through assembly lines. To learn what
that is, we are going to do it ourselves!

Lesson Sequence:
Crayon Box Assembly: Round 1 {~10 min}
1. Tell students that they are going to experience being part of an assembly line
(WW) by putting together crayon boxes as fast as they can.
2. Each student will be tasked with the following:
a. putting together the box for the crayons
b. finding all of the colors needed for their box
c. placing their crayons in the box
d. placing their box in the holding container
3. Once the timer is started, students may begin assembling their boxes.
Discussion & Vocabulary {~8 min}
1. Ask students: How do you think you did? Do you think you could do it any
faster?
2. Tell students that when products are made using an assembly line, people (or even
machines) often specialize (WW). This means that they do one specific job that
they are really good at, instead of trying to do everything. In an assembly line,
you might see one person putting together boxes, one person packing the
products, one person taping the boxes shut, and finally someone labeling the
boxes. This is called division of labor (WW).
3. Doing this means that people get really fast, or efficient (WW), at their jobs.
Another way you could say that is that they increase their productivity (WW).
4. Ask students: How might we increase our productivity or efficiency when
putting the crayon boxes together? Students should work together to decide who
is best suited to specialize in what job. Jobs might include:
a. Box assembler
b. Crayon sorter
c. Box filler
Crayon Box Assembly: Round 2 {~7 minutes}
1. Repeat the assembly line activity, this time with students in their specialized roles.
Their goal should be to end with a faster time than before.
2. Some students may finish their tasks more quickly than others. They may help
with other jobs if that is the case.

3. When they are finished, stop the timer. Did they beat their time? What helped
them do this? If they happened to be slower, what went wrong?

Learning Logs {~10 minutes}

1. Students will now be asked to demonstrate their knowledge by completing one of
two written prompts relating to specialization (in their learning logs):
a. Last week, we read The Goat in the Rug. How could the woman making
the rug have made her process more efficient? Give at least two examples.
b. Your principal has decided that we no longer need our lunch ladies, gym
teachers, and janitors. Your teachers will now be responsible for all of
these jobs instead! Do you think this is a good idea? Write a letter to
Kemppainen with your argument, giving at least two reasons why you
think so.
Closure {~10 minutes}
1. Provide students with their business plan outlines. Tell students that when
someone starts a business and wants to make and sell a product, they have to write
a business plan first. A business plan helps you make sure that your product will
be successful.
2. Tell students that their outlines will help them organize their ideas and
information they learn each week. When it is complete, they will use it to create
their final business plan.

3. Students should revisit their brainstorming from last week and decide on the
product they want to make a plan for. Then, they will work on adding information
to the first page of their outline (product name, description, and resources).

Adaptations for Diverse and Special Needs:

If writing skills are lacking, students may dictate responses or represent them visually.
Students with poor small motor skills may have difficulty with putting together the
crayon boxes in the first round. These students might be assigned a partner to assist them.
Students may choose between writing prompts.
Lesson can be adapted as needed.
Reflection - {reflection will be added here after lessons completion}