Running head: UNIT PLAN

Social Studies Unit Plan: Grade 1 - The Local Community

Melbo Avgousti & Mary Dermentzis
1002111582 & 1002122712
CTL 7072: Curriculum and Teaching in Social Studies and Aboriginal Education
Section 131
Instructor: Dr. Rose Fine-Meyer
February 9th, 2016

UNIT PLAN

Social Studies Unit Planning and Lesson Planning

Template 2015-2016
Your Names: Melbo Avgousti & Mary Dermentzis
Grade Level and Strand:
Grade 1
Strand B: People and Environments: The Local Community

Overall Expectations/Objectives:
B1. Application: describe some aspects of the interrelationship between people and the
natural and built features of their community, with a focus on how the features of and
services in the community meet peoples needs (FOCUS ON: Interrelationships)
B2. Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some aspects of the
interrelationship between people and different natural and built features of their local
community, with a focus on significant short- and long-term effects of this
interrelationship (FOCUS ON: Cause and Consequence)
B3. Understanding Context: describe significant aspects of their community, with
reference to different areas, services, and natural and built features, demonstrating an
understanding of some basic ways of describing location and measuring distance
(FOCUS ON: Significance; Patterns and Trends)

Specific Expectations/Objectives:
B1.1 Describe some of the ways in which people make use of the natural and built
features of, and human services in, the local community to meet their needs, and what
might happen if these features/services did not exist
B1.2 Identify some services and service-related occupations in their community and
describe how they meet peoples needs, including their own needs
B2.1 Formulate questions to guide investigations into some aspects of the
interrelationship between people and the natural and built features of their community,
with a focus on some of the short- and long-term effects of this interrelationship
B2.2 Analyse maps, and construct simple maps using appropriate elements, as part of
their investigations into the interrelationship between people and significant natural and
built features in their community
B2.5 Evaluate and draw conclusions about some aspects of the interrelationship between
people and natural and built features of their local community, and some of the effects of
the interrelationship

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B2.6 Communicate the results of their inquiries using appropriate vocabulary

B3.1 Identify some of the natural and built features of their community
B3.2 Identify some distinct areas in the local community and describe some of the
characteristics of these areas
B3.3 Describe the location of some significant places in their community, using relative
location, relative distance, and relative direction

Critical Questions:
Big Question: What is a community and what does it need to function?

What is a community?
What services and/or jobs exist in a community?
How do different services and/or jobs in the community help to meet our needs?
What would happen if these jobs and/or services did not exist in a community?
How does your community compare/is different from other forms of communities?
What does a community need in order to function?
What are the elements (e.g. services, jobs, resources, etc.) in a community that allow it to
function?
How can you contribute to the community?
Why do we use maps?
How can maps help us navigate the community?
How do the Indigenous people of Canada view the land?

Overview of the Unit:

The purpose of this unit is to provide the students with an overall understanding and
critical knowledge they need, in order to contribute to their local communities. In order to get to
this understanding, students will be using a variety of materials and methods, either in groups or
independently (e.g. mapping, analyzing community photographs, community walks, videos,
venn diagrams, worksheets, etc.). The different services and jobs that a community requires in
order to thrive and fulfill the collective and individual needs of its citizens will be explored,
along with the impacts of its presence and/or absence. Further features such as the natural and
built elements of a community will also be explored and the interrelationships between the two,
including long and short-term effects will also be explored. Students will have the opportunity to
compare and contrast their own communities with those of Indigenous communities, brought
forth by an Elder.

Objectives:
The specific goals for the students as they progress through this unit are:
Understand what a community is.
Identify different services and jobs in a community.

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Identify the various elements of a community (e.g. services, jobs, resources, etc.)
and think critically about how these elements allow a community to function as a
cohesive whole.
Critically explore and analyze the consequential impacts on a community if
certain services and jobs did not exist.
Explore and understand how the different services and jobs in a community help
to meet the needs of its citizens.
Understand the significance of using maps and how using maps allows us to
navigate around a community.
Compare and contrast the elements of an Indigenous community to the current
community the students live in and understand the similarities and/or differences
between the two.
Identify the natural and built features of a community.
Identify the short-term and long-term implications/effects of natural and built
environments through an Indigenous perspective/lens.
Identify and understand the ways in which an individual can contribute to a
community.

Broad Understandings:
From this unit, the students will come to know and understand what a community is
comprised of, what contributes to the overall functioning of a community, and how to analyze
differences and similarities between communities. The students will first-hand examine their
local community and its characteristics and services and compare and contrast it to an Indigenous
community. By learning about communities and the different elements in a community, the
students will learn how to contribute to their community. The students will also learn the
significance of using maps to navigate oneself through a community.

Background Knowledge:
Students have general understanding of locational descriptors (i.e. north, east, south
west).
Students have a beginners understanding about what a community is and different
elements of a community.
Students are able to work cooperatively in a small group and contribute their ideas and
understandings.
Students know and understand what a need is.
Students have minimal understanding of what a map is.
Students are knowledgeable on the culture and lifestyle of Indigenous people.

Subdivisions:
Introduction to what a community is and its elements

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Understanding what a community needs to function

Utilizing images/photographs to understand communities
Utilizing graphic organizers
Understanding different services and/or jobs
Utilizing and understanding maps
Community Walk (field trip)
Comparison of Indigenous community versus local community
Interrelationships between natural and built environments

Indigenous Perspectives and Knowledge:

Prior to this unit of study, the students have been introduced to Indigenous ideas and
concepts in all subject areas through various forms and methods. For this unit plan, the focus is
on the students communities in comparison to Indigenous communities (e.g. reserve), whereby
the students come to understand the similarities and differences. Various Indigenous photographs
are provided along with an Elders discussion of his/her community and feelings about the
natural and built environment. The students will be encouraged to think critically about the
comparisons and come to understand the importance of the interrelationships between natural
and built environments.

Vocabulary:
Built the human-made space in which people live, work, and recreate on a day-today basis (Roof & Oleru, 2008, p. 24).
Community a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality,
share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage
(community, n.d. para 1).
Elements a component or constituent of a whole or one of the parts into which a
whole may be resolved by analysis (elements, n.d., para 1).
Environment The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant
lives or operates (environment, n.d. para 1).
Indigenous originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country; native
(indigenous, n.d., para 1).
Jobs a post of employment; full-time or part-time position (jobs, n.d., para 2).
Map a representation, usually on a flat surface, as of the features of an area of the
earth or a portion of the heavens, showing them in their respective forms, sizes, and
relationships according to some convention of representation (map, n.d., para 1).
Natural existing in or formed by nature (natural, n.d., para 1).
Needs a physiological or psychological requirement for the well-being of an
organism (needs, n.d., para 6).
Resources a source of supply, support, or aid, especially one that can be readily
drawn upon when needed (resources, n.d., para 1).

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Services
The supplying or supplier of utilities or commodities, as water, electricity, or
gas, required or demanded by the public (services, n.d.a, para 2).
The providing or a provider of accommodation and activities required by the
public, as maintenance, repair, etc. (services, n.d.b, para 3).

Concepts of Disciplinary Thinking:

Note: Refer to overall unit lesson strategies breakdown below for integrated disciplinary
thinking concepts.

Lesson 1: Significance
Lesson 2: Significance, Cause and Consequence
Lesson 3: Significance, Patterns and Trends
Lesson 4: Significance, Cause and Consequence
Lesson 5: Interrelationships, Perspective
Lesson 6: Cause and Consequence, Patterns and Trends, Interrelationships, Perspective
Lesson 7/Culminating Activity: Significance, Interrelationships, Cause and
Consequence

Overall Unit Lesson Strategies:

Note: All worksheets and resources for the lessons are included in the appendix. Some are also
incorporated throughout the lesson breakdown below. As well, time frames below are simply
suggestions, as these times will vary according to your students and their individual needs and
abilities.
Title and
Time
Frame

Specific
Expectations

Lesson #1:
Introductio
n to
Community

B1.3
B3.2

Time
Frame: 1-2
days

Lesson Details:

Questions: What is a community?

Disciplinary Concept(s):
Significance: This lesson will allow students to understand the
overall significance of communities and what they entail (e.g.
people, services, natural and built features), marked by their vital
role of fulfilling citizens needs.
Activity: The lesson will begin by grouping students and giving
each group 2-3 pictures of different maps and/or communities.

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The students will be given 10 minutes to observe the pictures.
They should be asked questions such as: What do you notice
about the pictures? What kinds of things are in the pictures? Do
you know what these images are showing? Once they have
discussed and answered these questions, the teacher will
emphasize that the photographs given are of communities.
The students will be given a chart paper with the word
community written in the middle. The students will be
instructed to write words or draw pictures that come to mind
when they think of the word community in conjunction with what
they see in the pictures provided. After doing so, each group of
students will share their pictures and findings with the class. The
teacher, in collaboration with the students will define and discuss
what a community is. The teacher should also direct a discussion
regarding what the term community means to Indigenous
people and the importance of the relations between natural and
human systems (i.e. land, humans and animals).
After defining what a community is, the teacher will read
Franklins Neighbourhood. Before reading, the teacher will tell
the students to pay close attention to the illustrations in the story
that pinpoint community elements. When the story is finished, the
students will collaboratively create a graphic organization of their
thoughts. The teacher should provide a large enough paper on the
carpet that allows all students to contribute at once.
Optional Resource: The teacher can play this YouTube clip of
first-grade students discussing what a community is to them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tcix328XmU
Materials: Chart paper, book, pencils/markers/erasers,
photographs
Diagnostic Assessment: Teacher Observation
The teacher will use this work as a check for understanding, as it
will indicate what the students already know about communities
and any additional ideas and concepts they may have learned
throughout this activity.

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Lesson #2:
Services/Jo
bs
Time
Frame: 1-2
days

8
B1.1
B1.2
B3.2

Questions:
What services and/or jobs are there in a community?
What would happen if these jobs and/or services did not
exist in a community?
What are the elements (e.g. services, jobs, resources, etc)
in a community that allow it to function?
How do different services/jobs in the community help to
meet our needs?
Disciplinary Concept(s):
Significance: Students are required to reflect on the significance
of certain jobs and services in their communities, which leads into
cause and consequence.
Cause & Consequence: Students are determining the impacts
these services have on its citizens, as they are encouraged to think
about how these services fulfill the collective needs of the
community, in addition to the effects it would have on the citizens
if these services did not exist.
Activity: The students will be given maps of a community that
incorporates various services they use daily.The students can be
asked to circle and identify the services they use and the ones
they have heard about and/or are familiar with.
The teacher will play a riddle game with the students: Who am I
and Where do I work? This will require the students to identify
the service/job (e.g. Doctor/Hospital, Teacher/School,
Cashier/Grocery Store, Veterinarian/Veterinary Clinic, etc.).
When a student gets the correct answer, he/she will be given that
service/job to work on with their group for the next part.
Once they have received their picture, each group of students will
be required to complete a worksheet that asks them to identify
what the service/job is, who works there, how it helps people in
the community, what would happen if the service/job did not
exist, and how different services/jobs in the community help to
meet our needs.
Materials: Riddles, worksheet, pencils/erasers, community maps

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9
Assessment:
1. Teacher Evaluation of Worksheet
2. Ticket out the door: This requires the students to identify
one service/job in the community. The students can either
write the title of the service/job or draw a picture of it on
GOOS (Good On One Side) paper.

Lesson #3:
Mapping
Time
Frame: 1
day

B3.3
B3.4
B3.6

Questions:
Why do we use maps?
How can maps help us navigate the community?
Prior Knowledge Required: Understanding of location
descriptors: Left, Right, Up, Down, Behind, In Front.
Disciplinary Concept(s):
Significance: In this lesson, students are learning the importance
of maps and how they can be used to navigate a community. In
other words, how the map can assist them to get to where they
would like to be.
Patterns and Trends: While analyzing their own neighbourhood
maps and the one in which the teacher will supply, the students
will be noticing recurring features (e.g. natural and built features).
Activity: In order to ensure that all the students are familiar with
maps and their purpose and function, the teacher will take the
students to the computer lab, whereby they will search their
houses on Google Maps.
As preparation, the teacher should open https://maps.google.ca on
every computer prior to the students entering the computer lab.
Once settled, the students will be instructed to type in their home
address in the Google Maps search bar. Once they have done so, a
map will appear. The teacher should demonstrate how to zoom
in on the map, in order to better see the features. The students
can explore these maps as they wish and will be instructed to look
for elements of a community that were discussed in lesson #1 and
#2 (e.g. services, people, etc.). This will give students a sense of
what a map entails and how it is used. The teacher should also ask
the students to locate their school, and explore the streets they
would need to take in order to get to their home. (Tip: The

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teacher should print each individual students map, this way the
student can trace the streets with a pencil, providing an overall
hands-on experience).
Once they have returned to the class, the teacher will provide the
students with a neighbourhood map (e.g.
http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/neighborhoodmap-coloring-page/#sthash.52i6HQc6.dpbs). The students will be
instructed to list the steps of how they would get from one
location to another (e.g. from the park to Arianas house), using
descriptors. For example: 1) Turn left on Dale Lane, 2) Go down
Berry Drive, 3) Turn left of Fifty Street. The students should be
encouraged to look for the natural features (e.g. park or forest) of
the community map given to them and how they can get to these
natural features from the built features.
Materials: Google Maps website, computers, maps
Assessment: Learning Targets/Success Criteria (Rubric)

Lesson #4:
Community
Walk: Field
Trip
Time
Frame: 2
days

B1.1
B1.2
B2.4
B2.6
B3.3

Questions:
What is a community?
What services and jobs are in a community?
What important elements of the community were missing?
How would the community change if these elements were
present?
Disciplinary Concept(s):
Significance: During the community walk, the students will be
required to activate their prior knowledge on communities and
significant community elements in order to take photographs of
the different community elements that they think are most
significant to the functioning of the community. Doing so will
provide the students opportunity to determine the significance of
various elements, jobs, and services in a community.
Cause and Consequence: Upon arriving back from the
community walk, the students, in pairs, will analyze their
checklists and photos and determine natural and built features of
the community that are either present or missing. Upon doing so,
the students will be required to discuss with their partner how the
community would change if the elements, jobs, and/or services

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11
that were missing were present. Doing so will provide students
the opportunity to analyze and investigate the consequence and
impact that absent elements, jobs, and/or services would have on
the community as a whole.
Activity: The teacher and students will go on a community walk
around the schools neighbourhood to familiarize themselves with
what makes a community a community and the different
services/jobs that contribute to the community as a whole. Prior to
the community walk, the teacher in collaboration with the
students will create a Whats in the Community checklist that is
comprised of different services and jobs in their community. The
checklist created by the teacher and students will be used during
the community walk as a method of data collection, in which the
students will checkmark which components of the community
they observe throughout the duration of their community walk
(e.g. a police station, a school, houses, people, trees, grass,
animals, etc.).
During the collaboration with the students on creating the
Whats in the Community checklist, the teacher can ask the
students, What jobs and services might we find in the
community? After creating the checklist the teacher, parent
volunteers, and students can depart on their community walk
bringing their checklists, clipboards, pencils, and cameras. During
the community walk, the students will take pictures of elements
of the community that they think are important to a community
(photographs will be used in final culminating activity).
Note:
At the beginning of the community walk, the teacher will open
the walk by acknowledging the Indigenous land they are on and
the Indigenous group that the land belongs to. After doing so the
teacher will have a short discussion on the history of the land they
are on and Indigenous group the land belongs to. (This brief
history-related discussion will be dependent on geographical
location and thus research will be specific to the area and land
that the children are on during the community walk. Hence, the
teacher will be required to self-educate him/herself prior to the

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12
community walk with the students)
During the walk, the students should be encouraged to speak
about the location of some significant places in their community.
E.g. The teacher can ask a student: In which direction do I walk
if I need to get to the pond? to which the student should reply
with: Straight ahead, to the left, to the right, behind us etc.
Upon arriving back into the classroom from the community walk,
the students will be grouped into pairs. They will analyze their
checklists and pictures to see which natural or built features of
their community are present or missing, based on what they have
determined is important in a community from prior lessons. The
students will engage in a think-pair-share, whereby they will be
required to answer:
Why do you think it is missing?
How would the community change if it was present?
Materials: Checklist, clipboards, pencils, camera
Assessment:
1. Teacher Observation
2. Anecdotal Notes
3. Think-Pair-Share
The teacher will observe the students as they go on their
community walk and note the discussions they have about what
they see. If possible, the teacher should take anecdotal notes. As
well, during the think-pair-share, the teacher should note their
answers.

Lesson #5:
Indigenous
Communiti
es
Time
Frame: 2
days

B1.1
B1,2
B1.3
B2.5
B3.1
B3.2

Questions:
What are the similarities between your local community
and an Indigenous community? What are the differences?
How do the Indigenous people of Canada view the land?
Disciplinary Concept(s):
This lesson will allow the students to compare and contrast their
community with an Indigenous community presented by the guest
Elder, whom will visit their class. In doing so, the students will

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13
get a sense of the interrelationships between the land, people and
wildlife (i.e. animals), allowing them to view these relations from
the perspective of Indigenous peoples.
Activity: The students will revisit their photographs taken in
lesson #4 (i.e. community walk) of the important elements in their
community.
Cross-Curricular Connection: Native Studies
The teacher will welcome an Indigenous elder into the classroom
who will talk to the children about his/her reserve (e.g. what the
different components of the reserve are, the services/jobs present
in/on the reserve, what is valued on the reserve, its physical
appearance, etc.). The elder may also discuss the importance of
their connection to land and animals. The students should be
encouraged to ask questions throughout the elders presentation.
After the elder has finished his/her discussion with the students,
the students will be required to create a venn diagram, comparing
the two communities (theirs vs. the Indigenous community that
the elder has shown them). The middle portion of the venn
diagram will include the similarities between the two. The
students should be encouraged to refer to the checklist from
lesson 4 to look for specific elements.
From this activity, the students will come to understand how other
communities differ from theirs, and how important the land and
resources they live on and use are.
Materials: Photographs, elder, paper, pencils/paper, venndiagram worksheet
Assessment:
1. Group Evaluation (One-Ball Pass) - Students share one
interesting thing they learned from the Elder about his/her
community/reserve.
2. Teacher Evaluation of Venn-Diagram

Lesson #6:
Natural +
Built

B2.2
B2.5
B3.1

Questions:
What is a natural feature of an environment?
What is a built feature of an environment?

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Environme
nt
Time
Frame: 3
days

14
What are the implications of short- and long-term effects
of natural and built features on a community?
How can you contribute to the community?
Disciplinary Concept(s):
The students will be encouraged to think about the
interrelationships between natural and built environments,
including the short- and long-term effects (cause and
consequence) of this relationship through an Indigenous lens
(perspective). Essentially, they will be looking for patterns and
trends, as they will be encouraged to reflect on what they have
seen in the video clip regarding natural and built features.
Cross-Curricular Connection: Science
1.2 Describe changes or problems that could result from loss of
some kinds of living things that are part of everyday life, taking
different points of view into consideration
Activity: The teacher will start the lesson by showing the
students a 2-minute YouTube video on natural and built
environments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXh8e2m6qSM
After viewing the video clip the teacher will ask the students,
What is one thing you noticed about natural environments? and
What is one thing you noticed about built environments? After
doing so, the teacher and students will have a brief discussion on
what a natural environment is and what a built environment is.
Following this, the students will complete the sorting worksheet
titled Natural or Built?
Once they have completed the worksheet, the students will be
encouraged to think about the interrelationships between natural
and built environments, including the short- and long-term effects
of this relationship through an Indigenous lens. The students will
be placed into groups consisting of four students, in which each
group will receive a short hypothetical scenario involving natural
and built environments. The students will be given 15 minutes to
discuss the implications and short- and long-term effects of the
scenario in their groups. In order to do so, they will put

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15
themselves in the Elders shoes, and attempt to discuss the
implications of the scenario by pretending to be the Elder and
how he/she would feel about it based on the discussion from
lesson #5. The class will then regroup, in which each group will
present their scenario to the class and talk about the effects it may
have on their community.
Examples of scenarios include:
The whole forest is being cut down and a big mall is being built
The grass is going to be removed from the schoolyard and
playground
Many new houses are going to be built in the neighbourhood
Materials: Scenario cards, YouTube video, natural or built
worksheet, pencils/erasers
Assessment:
1. Natural or built Worksheet
2. Anecdotal Notes of students scenarios

Lesson #7:
Community
Mural +
Video
Compilatio
n
Culminatin
g Activity
Time
Frame: 1-2
weeks

B1.2
B2.2
B2.6
B3.1

Big Question: What is a community and what does it need to

function?
Disciplinary Concept(s):
Significance: The purpose of compiling a video and
collaboratively creating a mural is so that the students have the
opportunity to showcase their knowledge and understanding of
the importance of communities and what they require in order to
function and fulfill the needs of its citizens.
Interrelationships: The students are encouraged to consider
Indigenous perspectives while creating their murals, such as
examining the importance of animals and the land, as these serve
to fulfill basic human needs, including spiritual needs.
Cause and Consequence: The students will consider how they
can individually contribute to their community, in which their
contributions will serve to fulfill personal and collective needs.
Cross-Curricular Connection: Visual Arts
D1.1 Create two- and three-dimensional works of art that express
feelings and ideas inspired by personal experiences

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D3.2 Demonstrate an awareness of a variety of works of art from
diverse communities, times, and places
Activity:
The students will create a community mural using their pictures
from lesson #4 of the services and other features in their
community they think are important for the community to
function and those which fulfill their needs. Creating this
collaborative mural will allow the teacher to see if the students
have understood what is needed for a community to function and
if they have included all the important elements (e.g. natural,
built, people, animals, services, etc) relating back to the big
question.
Video compilation: The students will stand in front of their final
mural and will be asked to explain which part of the community
they think is the most important and how they can contribute to
their overall community. (The teacher will obtain prior media
permission from parents before filming the students).
To divide the tasks, the students will be numbered off (e.g.
1/2/1/2), whereby half will discuss which part of the community
they think is the most important, and the other half of the students
will talk about how they can contribute to the community.
The teacher should arrange a movie night, inviting all parents and
friends to view the final video compilation, Our Community the
students put together, as well as the final community mural. The
teacher should also take this opportunity to showcase all the work
that has been done during this unit (e.g. worksheets, photographs,
student work samples, etc.). Throughout, the teacher should
encourage the parents to ask questions and contribute ideas.
Summative Assessment: Rubric/Checklist - Success Criteria
The students responses and choice of services/features to include
in the mural/map will demonstrate their overall understanding of
communities and the important elements and/or features it needs
to function. Thus, the students will be assessed on whether or not
they have understood what a community is and the essentials it
needs to function.

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17

Two Detailed Lesson Plans:

Social Studies Lesson Plan #4

By: Mary Dermentzis

SUBJECT/GRADE:
Social Studies-Grade 1
Suggested Time:
2 days

COURSE/STRAND:
Strand B: People and Environments: The Local Community

LESSON TITLE: Community Walk - What is a community? What services and jobs are in a community?

Connection to CULMINATING ACTIVITY: For the final culminating activity, the students will
use the photos taken on the community walk to create the class mural.

Planning Information:
Curriculum Connections:
Overall and Specific Expectation(s):
Strand B: People and Environments: The Local Community
Specific Expectation: B1.1 Describe some of the ways in which people make use of natural and built
features of, and human services in, the local community to meet their needs, and what might happen
if these features/services did not exist.
Specific Expectation: B1.2 Identify some services and service-related occupations in their community
and describe how they meet peoples needs, including their own needs.
Specific Expectation: B2.4 Interpret and analyze information and data relevant to their investigations,
using a variety of tools
Specific Expectation: B2.6 Communicate the results of their inquiries using appropriate vocabulary
and formats.
Specific Expectation: B3.3 Describe the location of some significant places in their community, using
relative location, relative distance, and relative direction.

Learning Goals:
Students will be activating their prior knowledge on what a community is, and different jobs and
services in a community.
The students, in collaboration with the teacher, will create a whats in a community checklist that
will be comprised of different services and jobs commonly found in communities.
The students will use the whats in a community checklist during a community walk as a method of
data collection.
The students, alongside their teacher and parent volunteers, will go on a community walk around the
schools neighborhood to familiarize themselves with the different elements of a community and the
different services and jobs that contribute to the community as a whole.
During the community walk, the students will use cameras to take pictures of the different elements
of the community they believe are important to the overall functioning of the community.

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Social Goals:
Cooperation
Mutual respect
Attentive Listening

Background Knowledge:
In order to participate and engage in the lesson, the students will be required to recall what they learned in
lesson 2 (services and jobs in the community) to be able to identify different services and jobs in the
community and understand the implications if these jobs and services did not exist.

Vocabulary:
Community
Services
Jobs
Checklist
Significance
Natural
Built

Critical Thinking Question(s)/Critical Thinking Challenge:
By engaging in a placed-based inquiry (community walk), the students will be attempting to inquire and
research the following questions:
What is a community?
What services and jobs are in a community?
What are the consequences if significant community elements, jobs, and/services do not exist?

Disciplinary Thinking Concepts:
Significance During the community walk, the students will be required to activate their prior
knowledge on communities and significant community elements in order to take photographs of
these different elements that they think are most significant to the functioning of the community.
Doing so will provide the students opportunity to determine the significance of various elements,
jobs, and services in a community.
Cause and consequence Upon arriving back from the community walk, the students, in pairs, will
analyze their checklists and photos and determine natural and built features of the community that
are either present or missing. Upon doing so, the students will be required to discuss with their
partner how the community would change if the elements, jobs, and/or services that were missing
were present. Doing so will provide students the opportunity to analyze and investigate the
consequences and impact that absent elements, jobs, and/or services would have on the community
as a whole.

Links to Aboriginal Knowledge and Curriculum:

During the community walk, the teacher will begin by acknowledging the Indigenous land they are
on and the Indigenous group the land belongs to. During the walk, the teacher will provide the
students with a short historical discussion on the land they are on and which Indigenous group the

UNIT PLAN

19

land belongs to. This discussion will be dependent on the geographical location of the community
walk. Prior to the community walk, the teacher will be required to self-educate him/herself on the
history of the land and which Indigenous group the land belongs to.

Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment/Success Criteria:

Authentic Assessment
The community walk will provide students with the opportunity to research and use
various tools to gather and collect data (cameras, photos, checklists) in order to analyze
and investigate their community first hand. During the community walk, the students will
be able to independently use cameras to take pictures of various jobs and services in their
community as well as use their checklist to gather information about their surroundings.

Achievement Chart Category
Knowledge and understanding: Prior, during, and after the community walk, the
students will be given opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and
understanding of what a community is, what the significant elements, services,
and jobs in a community are, and how missing or nonexistent elements and
services impact the community as a whole.
Thinking: During the community walk, the students will be provided opportunity
to critically think in order to distinguish which elements of a community are
significant and why. After the community walk the students will be given
opportunity to critically explore and analyze how a community as a whole would
change/be affected if certain elements, jobs, and/or services in a community did
not exist.
Communication: The students will be able to communicate ideas, thoughts,
knowledge, and information through group discussions, photos, and checklists.
Application: The students will use what they have learned thus far about
communities and community services and jobs and apply it to their process of
creating a checklist and going on a community walk.

Checks for Understanding
Before
Lesson 2 (services and jobs) of the unit plan will serve as a check for
understanding in order to ensure that the students are able to identify and
understand what a community is and different community services and jobs.
During
Think-pair-share
Thumbs up/thumbs down
Teacher questioning
After
Think-pair-share

Assessment Tools
Observation
Anecdotal
Notes
Group
discussions

UNIT PLAN

20

Differentiated Instruction Details

Knowledge of Students
Differentiation based on student:

Readiness
Interests
Learner Profile:


Interests: Prior to this unit, the students have demonstrated a strong interest in the outdoors and place-based
learning. It has been documented and observed on numerous occasions of active student engagement and
involvement during outdoor time and place-based field trips. The students have also demonstrated a strong
interest in technology, specifically using cameras to take pictures during place-based field trips (Note: This is a
hypothetical situation).

Learner Profile: Based on the students diverse learning profiles, a number of the students prefer to engage in
inquiry-based and place-based activities and lessons. These forms of learning require the students to first-hand
research and inquire their surrounding environment through various data collection methods and tools.

Differentiated Instruction Response
Learning materials (content) Ways of Learning (process) Ways of demonstrating learning (product)
Learning environment

Learning materials (content)/Ways of Learning (process): Prior to the community walk, the students will be
assigned, using lettered heads, different roles. Half of the students will be assigned the role of using cameras to
take pictures during the walk and the other half will be responsible for recording information about the
community on the class-generated checklist.

Ways of demonstrating learning (product): The students will be provided with the opportunity to demonstrate
their learning through a multitude of ways, including, one ball pass, think-pair-share, class-wide discussions, the
class-generated checklist, and taking photos with cameras during the community walk.

Learning environment: This lesson will take place in both the classroom and outside in a placed-based context
(the schools surrounding community). Both learning environments will situate the students to learn in a
placed-based manner, as well as a manner that will provide the students opportunity to first-hand research and
observe their community and what their community is comprised of.

Multiple Intelligences:
Verbal linguistic
Bodily kinaesthetic
Visual spatial
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Naturalist
Existential

UNIT PLAN

21

Necessary Prior Knowledge & Skills

Prior to this lesson, students will have the following knowledge and skills:
An ability to identify and understand what a community is.
An ability to identify different services and jobs in a community.
Basic understanding of how to use a camera to take pictures.



Materials & Resources
Agenda
Materials: Chart paper, clipboards, pencils, cameras,
Today you are going to:
whiteboard, checklist, book
Come up with and discuss the different
services and jobs that help to make a

community.
Evidence Used:

Use these different services and jobs you

Non-internet Resources:
have thought of to create a whats in a
In Lucias Neighbourhood by Pat
community checklist.
Shewchuk
Use this checklist to help you collect and
Photographs taken by students during
record information about our community.
community walk
Go on a community walk around our
Checklists completed by students during
schools neighborhood. Our community
community walk
walk will help us get to know our
community better and to observe the
different services and jobs in our
community.
During our community walk we will be
using our classroom cameras to take
pictures of important jobs and services in
the community.
During our community walk we will also
be using our whats in a community
checklist, in which you will write a
checkmark beside all the services and
jobs you see/observe during our walk.

Social Objectives:
At all times of the lesson and community walk we
will be practicing mutual respect, attentive
listening, and will work cooperatively with one
another. During our community walk we must
make sure that we are not only respectful to one
another but also to the community.

UNIT PLAN
Opening:

Initial Activity minds on

Grouping: Whole Class
As the children enter the classroom they will be instructed to find a seat on the
carpet. The teacher will read In Lucias Neighborhood to the students. Before reading
the story, the teacher can ask the students: What is something you notice about the
cover of this story? What might this story be about?
Reading the story Lucias Neighborhood will further introduce the students to the
idea of community and what a community is comprised of. The story will also
introduce the students to the idea of exploring ones neighborhood in hopes of
observing and collecting information about whats in a community.
After the story is read, the students will engage in a one ball pass, wherein each
student will be given opportunity to share one thing they learned about communities
from In Lucias Neighborhood.

Action (Main Lesson work) CRITICAL CHALLENGES
Grouping: Whole class and pairs
The teacher will discuss with the children that they will be going on a community
walk and that during their community walk they will be using a checklist and cameras
to record information and take pictures about their community. The teacher will then
tell the students that they will be creating their own checklist and that they will use
this checklist to collect data and information during their community walk.
The teacher will define what a checklist is and show students a few different
examples of what checklists are and what they are used for.
The teacher will then say: Now that we have an understanding about what checklists
are and the different kinds of information they can have in them, we are going to
create our own checklist.
The teacher will ask the students to recall what they learned in lesson 2 on
community services and jobs.
The teacher will say to the students: From what I can recall from our lesson on
community services and jobs, I remember us learning about hospitals and how
doctors and nurses work at hospitals. That being said, what are some jobs and
services we might find in a community? The teacher will give students 1 minute to
do a think-pair-share, in which students will talk with a peer to discuss different
services and jobs that exist in a community. The teacher will then provide
opportunity for students to share what they discussed in their think-pair-share. As
students volunteer to share their ideas, the teacher will create a giant-sized checklist
on the whiteboard and record the students answers.
Using the whiteboard, the teacher will create a giant-sized checklist and will record
students suggestions of different services and jobs in the community.
After the students have generated a comprehensive list of various community
services and jobs, the teacher will take the information that the students have
generated and will create and type out the checklist in a word document. The teacher

22
Connections
*for/of/as
Learning
Diagnostic:
Assessment
FOR learning:
One ball
pass

Formative:
Assessment AS
learning:
Anecdotal
Notes
Observation
Teacher
Questioning

Instructional
Tactics:
Lettered
Heads
Think-Pair-
Share
Teacher
questioning
Thumbs
up/thumbs
down

UNIT PLAN

23

will print the checklist for the students to have for the following day during their

community walk.
Once the teacher has discussed with the students the instructions and objectives,
he/she will ask one student to volunteer to reiterate the instructions on what they
will be required to do. After the student has reiterated the instructions, the teacher
will ask the students to put their thumbs up if they understand what they will be
doing or put their thumbs down in they are unsure of what they will be doing.
Prior to leaving for the community walk, the teacher will review with the students
what they will be doing during the community walk. The teacher will also discuss with
the students that they will be using cameras to take pictures of different elements,
jobs, and/or services that they think are important to a community. The teacher, in
collaboration with the students, will have a brief discussion on significant elements of
a community. The teacher can give the students one minute to do a think-pair-share
with a partner, wherein students can discuss with a peer examples of significant
elements and jobs in a community and why. The teacher will then call upon a few
students to volunteer to share and discuss their answers.
The teacher will use lettered heads to divide the students (e.g students who are A will
use the checklist and students who are B will use cameras to take pictures). Thus, half
of the students will be using the checklist to record information about their
community and the other half will be taking pictures of different elements of the
community that they believe are important.
At the beginning of the community walk, the teacher will begin by acknowledging the
Indigenous land they are on and the Indigenous group that the land belongs to. After
doing so the teacher will have a short discussion on the history of the land they are
on and Indigenous group the land belongs to. (This brief history-related discussion
will be dependent on geographical location and thus research will be specific to the
area and land that the children are on during the community walk. Hence, the
teacher will be required to self-educate him/herself prior to the community walk with
the students).
During the community walk the teacher and parent volunteers will also ask students
questions relating to the community and location. For example, the teacher may ask,
In which direction do I walk if I need to get to the pond?
Consolidation/ Connections/Student Reflections
Wrap-Up: Further Whole Class or Groups

Upon arriving back into the classroom from the community walk, the children will be
instructed to get into pairs for they will be engaging in a think-pair-share. Each pair
should have one A person and one B person.
During their think-pair-share, the students will be instructed to analyze their
checklists and pictures and determine which natural or built features of their
community are present and which are missing. The students will also be instructed to
answer the following questions: What was missing? Why do you think it is missing?
How would the community change if it was present?
After doing so, the students will be invited and encouraged to share what they
discussed in their think-pair-share, thus leading to a group discussion about their
community walk.
As students share and discuss their ideas and thoughts, the teacher will record their

Assessment OF
learning
Think-pair-
share
Group
discussions
Observatio
ns
Student
verbal
responses

UNIT PLAN

24

answers on a t-chart. The left column of the t-chart will be labeled What was
missing and the right column will be labeled How would the community change if it
was present.

Extensions:
Have the students compare the photos they took during their community walk to
photos of various Indigenous communities/reserves. Upon analyzing the different
photos, have the students discuss in pairs or small groups what is the same and what
is different.
Taking the students on a community walk through an Indigenous
community/reserve.
The class could visit specific community services and/or jobs (e.g., a local farm, a
townhall, etc,).

Accommodations/Special Needs:
Accommodations will be dependent on students IEPs and diverse learning needs and
abilities. The teacher should use his/her discretion to accommodate all children
throughout the entirety of the lesson.
Teacher Reflection on Lesson:
Aspects that worked:

Changes for next time:

N/A

N/A

UNIT PLAN

25

Social Studies Lesson #7

By: Melbo Avgousti

SUBJECT/GRADE:

COURSE/STRAND:

Social Studies/Grade 1

Suggested Time:

1-2 weeks

Strand B: People and Environments: The Local Community

LESSON TITLE: What is a Community and What Does it Need to Function?

Connection to CULMINATING ACTIVITY: Not applicable, as this is the culminating activity

Planning Information:
Curriculum Connections:
Overall and Specific Expectation(s):

Specific Expectation: B1.2 Identify some services and service-related occupations in their
community and describe how they meet peoples needs, including their own needs (p. 69)
Specific Expectation: B2.2 Analyse maps, and construct simple maps using appropriate elements, as
part of their investigations into the interrelationship between people and significant natural and
built features in their community (p. 70)
Specific Expectation: B2.6 Communicate the results of their inquiries using appropriate vocabulary
(p. 70)
Specific Expectation: B3.1 Identify some of the natural and built features of their community (p. 71)

Learning Goals (including Background Knowledge):

1. Students will be using their prior knowledge of the important elements that a community needs for it
to function, in order to create a collaborative community mural.
2. Students will be creating a collaborative community mural (resembling a community map) that
depicts the services and/or jobs, natural and built features, people, and animals, etc. that serve to
fulfill their individual and collective needs.
3. Students will be using their photographs taken in lesson four (community walk) of the services and
other features in their community they believe are important for the community to function and
those which fulfill their needs.
4. Students will be assessed on whether they have included all the important elements of a community
(i.e. natural and built features, people, animals, services, etc.), relating back to the big question:
What is a community and what does it need to function? Students will also be expected to
incorporate important elements that they have learned are important to Aboriginal individuals, such
as green space and animals.
5. The class will also be filming a short video of each student discussing one element from the
community they think is most important and one thing they will do in order to contribute to their
own community.
6. Overall, this lesson will serve as the culminating task (summative assessment) for the entire unit.

UNIT PLAN

26

Social Goals:
Cooperation
Mutual respect
Attentive Listening
Patience

Vocabulary:
Services
Mural
Jobs
Community
Needs
Natural
Video
Built

Critical Thinking Question(s)/Critical Thinking Challenge:

By creating this collaborative community mural, the students are attempting to answer the overall critical
thinking question of the unit:

What is a community and what does it need to function?

Thus, the critical challenge that the students are facing is considering what their community mural needs in
order to fulfill the notion of a functioning community (i.e. meeting the needs of its citizens).

Disciplinary Thinking Concepts:

Significance The purpose of compiling a video and collaboratively creating a mural is so that the
students have the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and understanding of the importance
of communities and what they require in order to function and fulfill the needs of its citizens.
Interrelationships The students are encouraged to consider Indigenous perspectives while
creating their murals, such as examining the importance of animals and the land, as these serve to
fulfill basic human needs, including spiritual needs.
Cause and Consequence The students will consider how they can individually contribute to their
community, in which their contributions will serve to fulfill personal and collective needs.

Links to Aboriginal Knowledge and Curriculum:

While creating their collaborative community mural, the students will be encouraged to incorporate
important features such as green space (land) and animals, as these are crucial aspects of Indigenous
communities.

Disciplinary Concepts:
Significance
Interrelationships

UNIT PLAN
Assessment and Evaluation:
Assessment/Success Criteria:

Authentic Assessment:
The students are being asked to perform a real-world task (creating a mural/map of
their community), which is an alternative and engaging way to demonstrate their
understanding of the local community. This replaces the formal testing assessment
method in which most students and teachers are traditionally familiar with.

Achievement Chart Category:
Knowledge and understanding The students will have the opportunity to
demonstrate their knowledge of communities and what they need in order to thrive
(i.e. fulfilling the needs). Hence, they will be assessed on whether they have
incorporated a variety of important elements that they have learned throughout
the unit.
Communication The students are using the mural/map as a way to convey their
understanding and meaning of a community and its general functions.
Application The students will be using what they have learned about a general
community and its functions and applying it to the mural/map.

Success Criteria: *Refer to appendix for success criteria checklist and rubric*

Checks for Understanding:
Before Lesson:
All prior lessons in this unit plan will serve as a check for understanding leading up
this final culminating activity.

During Lesson:
Teacher will ask various questions to check for students understanding.
Suggestions of questions to ask the students while they partake in the mural making
process or video compilation process:
o Can you tell me why you included that photograph in the mural?
o Can you tell me why you took a photograph of that service during our
community walk?
o What do you think is missing from this mural so far?

After Lesson:
The students responses and choice of services and/or features to include in the
mural/map will demonstrate their overall understanding of communities and the
important elements/features it needs to function. Thus, the students will be
assessed on whether or not they have understood what a community is and the
essentials it needs to function.

27

Assessment
Tools:

Teacher
Evaluation

Observation

Anecdotal

Notes

Rubric

(Learning
Targets/Suc
cess
Criteria)

Discussion

UNIT PLAN

28

Differentiated Instruction Details

Knowledge of Students:

Differentiation based on student:

Readiness Interests
Learner Profile:

Readiness: This culminating activity will be implemented once the teacher feels the students have completed
all the necessary lessons and/or activities leading up to it. As well, based on different readiness levels, the
teacher should make critical decisions as to how the process, product and content can be accommodated or
modified to meet the differentiated needs and abilities in the classroom.

Interests: Prior to this social studies unit, the students have demonstrated an interest in the visual arts, in
particular, making murals. They have asked numerous times if they could create their own. For this reason,
the teacher decided that making a mural for this social studies unit-culminating task would be an excellent
way to tap into their interests and fulfill their wishes. (Note: This is a hypothetical situation)

Learner Profile: As a result of the diversified learning profiles that exist in any given classroom, the teacher
should take into account how the students prefer to learn and how they think, remember, and use what they
have learned. Thus, the instruction and delivery of the material should be matched to their preferred learning
styles.



Differentiated Instruction Response:
Learning materials (content) Ways of Learning (process) Ways of demonstrating learning (product)
Learning environment

Learning materials (content)/Ways of Learning (process): Students will be assigned different roles and use of
materials according to the teachers discretion in regards to their individual abilities and needs.

Ways of demonstrating learning (product): While all students will be required to contribute to the mural,
they will be given a choice as to whether they would like to respond orally or in writing to one of the following
questions:
1) Which element of the community do you think is most important?
2) What is one way you will contribute to your own community?
The provision of choice between the aforementioned questions is also critical, as the students can decide
which question better suits their needs and abilities.

Learning environment: For this culminating activity, the classroom should be designed in an organized
matter, such as designing centres (e.g. filming centre, writing centre, mural centre, mixing paints centre, etc.),
in which the students will be assigned to, with their individual roles. The teacher should take various factors
into consideration such as the classroom lighting and temperature levels, which can facilitate or hinder the
students learning and performance.

UNIT PLAN

29

Multiple Intelligences:
Verbal/linguistic
Bodily/kinaesthetic
Visual/spatial
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Naturalist
Existential

Necessary Prior Knowledge & Skills
Prior to this lesson, students will have the following knowledge, skills, and habits of mind:

An understanding of murals (from their art class)
Knowledge of artistic elements (e.g. colour, lines)
An understanding of what a community is
An understanding of what a community entails
An understanding of the different services/jobs a community may have
An understanding of what a community needs in order to function and fulfill the needs of its citizens
Knowledge about the culture and lifestyle of Indigenous people
An understanding of what a need is
Students are able to work cooperatively in small and larger groups



Materials & Resources
Agenda Provided to Students
Materials: Paint, paint brushes, pencils/erasers,


developed photographs, video camera/phone to film
Today,
video, chart paper, mural book
1. You will be creating a community mural all
together, where we will be including all
Evidence Used:
the important elements we have
Internet Resource:
discussed that a community needs! These
YouTube Video (Lesson #1):
elements may include services/jobs,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tcix
people, animals, natural features and
328XmU
Non-internet Resources:
built features! (Note: This may vary
Student photographs taken during
depending on the criteria your class has
community walk in lesson #4.
created for what makes a community and
Book: Murals: Walls that Sing by George
what it needs to function)
Ancona
2. You will be using your photographs from

our community walk to make the mural.
Note: All internet and non-internet resources used in
You will be putting these photographs on
prior lessons in the unit plan serve as the evidence the
the mural as a way to show what is
students used in order for them to partake in this final
important for the community and what it
culminating activity
needs to stay alive.

3. Instead of doing a formal test, this mural

UNIT PLAN

30
will show me what you have learned
about communities and if you have
included all the important elements we
have discussed. This will also wrap up our
communities unit plan we have been
doing all this month. I am expecting that
you will be including things we have
learned that are important to Indigenous
people, like green space and animals.
4. We will also be filming a short video of
each student talking about one thing from
the community they think is most
important and how they will contribute to
their own community! If you do not wish
to participate in the video, you may
choose to write your answers instead.
5. Overall, the purpose of this activity is so
that you can answer the question: What
is a community and what does it need to
function?

Social Agenda: I am going to see if you were
carefully listening to my instructions and know
what to do when we begin the activity. At all
times during the activity, we will be practicing
mutual respect and patience and will be
cooperatively working with others.

Opening:

Connections
*for/of/as
Learning
Initial Activity minds on
Diagnostic:

Assessment
Grouping: Whole Class
FOR learning


Visual Arts
The teacher will show the book Murals: Walls that Sing by George Ancona to the
Assessment
students. This book colourfully displays the different outdoor murals created by
(cross-
other artists and how these murals represent their communities.
curricular
Showing this book to the students will give them a reminder of what a mural is and
connection)
the purpose it serves (significance), as well as the knowledge they need in order to
- Round
create their own mural. Prior to this initial activity, the students would have learned
about murals in their visual arts class, thus this portion serves as a diagnostic
Robin

UNIT PLAN
assessment.
The teacher will facilitate a round robin, in which the students will each be asked
to contribute an answer to the following question:
What is one thing you believe the mural should incorporate? (i.e. in terms of
artistic elements)
Action (Main Lesson work) CRITICAL CHALLENGES

1) The teacher will give step-by-step instructions, including the agenda above to the
students, regarding what they will be required to do.
2) Using the chalk board/white board, the teacher will quickly sketch a community
(including roads, sidewalks, trees, houses, people, etc.). This will give the students
an idea of what the overall community mural may look like.
3) The teacher should play the video from lesson #1 of other students talking about
their communities, to give the students an idea of what their video will look like as
well.
4) Once the aforementioned objectives are stated, including step-by-step instructions,
the teacher will ask a volunteer student to reiterate the instructions. Once the
student has done so, the teacher will ask the students to put their thumbs up to
indicate that they have understood what they will be doing, or a thumbs down if
they have not understood what they will be doing.
5) Once the teacher has noticed that all the students have understood and do not
have any questions, the activity can begin.
6) Note: Prior to implementing this activity, the teacher should have the following
materials prepared:
o Poster paper
o Paint + brushes
o Lesson 4 photographs developed with students name on the back of each
one
o Camera/phone fully charged to film
o Obtained media consent from parents to film their child
o Example of mural (but in a mini version)
o The teacher should also ask for volunteer parents to participate in this
activity, as it has many components and requires much adult supervision.
7) The teacher will divide the tasks and give each student an individual or group role
(This is a decision made by the teacher, in accordance with his/her students
individual abilities and needs). The teacher will divide the tasks evenly amongst the
students (e.g. some will begin painting and posting their images on the mural, while
others will begin filming their portion of the video).
8) For the mural, some students should be assigned the task of painting the roads,
while others can draw aspects such as the sun, grass, etc. The teacher should
encourage the students to incorporate aspects of communities that they have
learned are important to Indigenous peoples, such as green space (land) and
animals. The students should also be reminded of the critical question: What is a
community and what does it need to function? while creating their mural. The
teacher should write this on the board as a constant reminder that the students can
refer to.
9) For the video compilation, the teacher will number the students off (e.g. 1/2/1/2),

31

Formative:
Assessment AS
learning

Spontaneous
Teacher
Questioning

Observation
Anecdotal
Notes


Instructional
Tactics:
Numbered
heads
Volunteer
student
restating the
instructions
Teacher
questions
Thumbs
up/down
Enthusiasm
Book

UNIT PLAN

32

whereby half will discuss which part of the community they think is the most
important (significance) and the other half of the students will talk about how they
can contribute to their community (cause and consequence). If students wish, they
should be given the choice to talk about both.
10) While the students submerse themselves in their individual roles, the teacher
should circulate around the classroom and serve as a guide to the students. The
teacher should also ask spontaneous questions, to check for the students
understanding.
11) Once all components are finished, the teacher should facilitate a whole class
dialogue, as well as a parents night (refer to closure below).

Consolidation/Connections/Student Reflections
Wrap-Up: Further Whole Class or Groups

Prior to the showcase below, the teacher should facilitate a whole-class dialogue,
whereby the students will be encouraged to discuss their overall mural and video
compilation. Free discussion should be welcomed, whereby students can discuss
what they liked about the process and final product and what they feel would need
to be improved for the future. This aspect can take on the form of Two Stars and a
Wish.
Showcase: When all components of this activity are finished, the teacher should
arrange a movie night, inviting all parents and friends to view the final video
compilation Our Community that the students put together, as well as the final
community mural. Both sections of this final culminating activity sought to answer
the overall framing question of the unit: What is a community and what does it
need to function?
The teacher should also take this opportunity to showcase all the work that has
been done during this unit (e.g. worksheets, photographs, student work samples,
etc.). Throughout, the teacher should encourage the parents to ask questions and
contribute ideas.

Extensions:
Field trip to other communities within the province that differ from their own (e.g.
Indigenous communities).
Students create an ideal community (diorama or drawing) that they would love to
live in.

Accommodations/Special Needs:
If a child has not obtained consent to be filmed, he/she should be given the role of
filming in order to still be included in this aspect of the activity. As well, since a
choice is given for whether they would like to be in the film or not, for all students
that do not participate in the video, they will write their answers instead (i.e.
Which element of the community they think is most important and/or How they
will contribute to their own communities). Students should be given the choice to
answer one or the other, or both; regardless of the method they choose in which to
answer the questions.

Summative:
Assessment OF
Learning

Rubric/Chec
klist -
Success
Criteria

Students
Verbal and
Written
Responses
& Map

Student
Evaluation:
Two Stars
and a Wish

Showcase:
Parent Night

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33

Different roles should be assigned to students based on their individual needs and
abilities (such as students with IEPs/ELLS).

Teacher Reflection on Lesson:

Aspects that worked:

Changes for next time:

N/A

N/A

Assessment and Evaluation:

Diagnostic (For Learning): At the beginning of the unit plan, the teacher will ensure
that the students have understood what a community is and how to define it through the
drawing and graphic organization activity. By providing the photographs of the different
communities to the students, the teacher will gain an understanding of what the students
know about communities and what they will need to learn more about, throughout the
remainder of the unit. Thus, the teacher will use observation.

Formative (As Learning): Formative assessment for the unit plan will occur throughout
the course of the unit and will be conducted lesson-by-lesson. Multiple forms of
assessment will be used to assess and evaluate student knowledge and learning
(worksheets, observations, anecdotal notes, ticket-out-the-door, rubrics, graphic
organizers, think-pair-share, group discussions, teacher evaluations, etc).

Summative (Of Learning): The summative assessment of this unit will be in the form of
a collective community mural and video compilation. The students responses and choice
of services and/or features to include in the mural/map will demonstrate their overall
understanding of communities and the important elements and/or features it needs to
function. Thus, the students will be assessed on whether or not they have understood
what a community is and the essentials it needs to thrive. The teacher and students will
use the Learning Targets/Success Criteria (Rubric) as the formal summative assessment
method.

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34

Achievement Chart:
Note: Throughout all four areas below, the students will be engaging in the disciplinary thinking
skills.

Knowledge and Understanding: The students will be assessed on whether they have
fulfilled the subject-specific content for this strand (B) (e.g. each specific expectation).
Thus, they will be assessed on whether they have understood what a community is and
what it needs to thrive.

Thinking: The students will be assessed on their critical and creative thinking skills.
Throughout the unit, the students will be gathering and organizing information about the
local community through various methods and will be interpreting, analyzing, and
evaluating this data in order to understand the key concepts and ideas about the
community.

Communication: The students will be assessed on the different methods they utilize to
convey the meaning of what they are learning. Throughout the duration of the unit, the
students will be given opportunities to communicate their ideas and information through
a multitude of ways (i.e. oral, visual, and written).

Application: The students will be assessed on their ability to make connections, such as
investigating the interrelationships within the subject content. They will be transferring
and applying what they already know to new and familiar contexts and making
connections between the two.

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35
References

Allen, M. (n.d.). Community Unit What Makes a Good Community? Retrieved from
http://lessonplanspage.com/sslaomdcommunityunit-overview
whatmakesgoodcommunity36-htm/.
Chloecraft. (2015). Year one - natural and built environments. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXh8e2m6qSM.
Checklist - Natural or Built? (2008). Retrieved from
http://www.wollicreek.org.au/tvt_schools/activity/TVT_Checklist_Natural_or_Built.pdf.
Community [Def. 1]. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/community.
Elements [Def. 1]. (n.d.). In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/elements.
English Exercises: Popys Neighbourhood. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1080
Environment [Def. 1]. (n.d.). In Oxford Dictionaries Online. Retrieved from
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/environment.
Facilitator Resources. (2012). Retrieved from https://myenglishabc.wikispaces.com/Facilitator
Resources.
Farkas, A., Persaud, M., & Costelloe, M. (2001). The Local Community Grade 1 Social Studies
Unit. Retrieved from http://orgs.educ.queensu.ca/curr/LocalComm.pdf
Grammenos, F. (2010). Fused Grid. Retrieved from http://blog.fusedgrid.ca/2010/03/05/a-good
house-is-better-in-a-good-neighbourhood.

UNIT PLAN

36

Ideas for Class Trips. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/deepeningknowledge/Teacher_Resources/Field_Trip_Reco
mendations.html.
Indigenous [Def. 1]. (n.d.) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/indigenous.
Jobs [Def. 2]. (n.d.) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/jobs.
Map [Def. 1]. (n.d.) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/map.
Map It Out! (2013). Retrieved from https://creativeworldschool.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/map
it-out/.
Natural [Def. 1]. (n.d.) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural.
Need [Def. 2b]. (n.d.) In Merriam Webster Online. Retrieved from http://www.merriam
webster.com/dictionary/need.
Neighborhood Map. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring
pages/print/neighborhood-map-coloring-page/#sthash.52i6HQc6.dpbs.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-6: Social Studies.
Reimer, M. (2012). My Community - Kids Discussion. Retrieved January 23, 2016, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tcix328XmU.
Resources [Def. 1]. (n.d.) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/resources.
Resources & Tools. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.live5210.ca/resources/.

UNIT PLAN
Roof, K., & Oleru, N. (2008). Public health: Seattle and king countys push for the built
environment. Journal of Environmental Health, 71(1), 24-27. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/docs/jeh/2008/july-aug_w_case_studies/jeh_julaug_08_seattle.pdf.
Services [Def. 2]. (n.d.a) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/services.
Services [Def. 3]. (n.d.b) In Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved from
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/services.

37

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38
Appendix

Lesson #1 & #2: Links for Community Images and Maps

1) English Exercises: Popys Neighbourhood. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=1080
2) Facilitator Resources. (2012). Retrieved from
https://myenglishabc.wikispaces.com/Facilitator Resources
3) Grammenos, F. (2010). Fused Grid. Retrieved from
http://blog.fusedgrid.ca/2010/03/05/a-good-house-is-better-in-a-good-neighbourhood/
4) Map It Out! (2013). Retrieved from
https://creativeworldschool.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/map-it-out/
5) Resources & Tools. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.live5210.ca/resources/

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39

Lesson #2: Worksheet

Name:

Date:

What is the name of the service and/or job?

Who works at this service?

What do you think would happen if this service and/or job did not exist?

How does this service and/or job help to meet peoples needs?

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40

Lesson #2: Example Riddles

Riddle #1: I work in a place where many people come when they are sick or need to get better. I
use special equipment such as a stethoscope, needles, and thermometer. People of all different
ages visit me when they need help. Who am I?
Riddle #2: I work in a place with many young people. My job involves many different subject
areas such as language and math. I help children learn and grow. Who am I?
Riddle #3: When I am working, I am always traveling from one place to another. As part of my
job, I help bring people where they need to be. The equipment that I use for my job is sometimes
yellow. Who am I?

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41

Lesson #3: Community Mapping

Name: __________________________ Date: ______________________________


______________________________________

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
*I am not able to
*I am able to
*I am able to
*I am able to
complete the criteria complete some of
complete most of
complete all the

the criteria
the criteria
criteria



*3 criteria
*0 criteria
*1 criteria
*2 criteria
*I have added more
details

LEARNING TARGET: We will be learning

how to use a map to navigate and give
directions.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:

I will know and understand what a map

is.
I will use locational descriptors (left,
right, near, far, up, down, in front,
behind) to write out directions.
I will work cooperatively with my group
members and share my ideas.

FEEDBACK
Student Self Assessment Comments
Teacher Assessment Comments are both
based on the criteria developed.

Student Comments:
What am I learning?

How am I doing?

How do I know this?

What will I do to improve?


Teacher Comments:

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42

Lesson #5: Worksheet

Name:

Date:

My Community

Indigenous Community

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43

Lesson #5: Bringing the Elder to the Classroom

(Taken directly from OISEs Field Trip Recommendations)
Toronto District School Board: Aboriginal Education Centre
TDSB can arrange for field trips and guest speakers. It can also be a resource in itself, with
counselors.
90 Croatia Street,
Toronto, ON
Telephone: 416-393-9600
Fax: 416-393-9411
Or: Contact a local community, or Aboriginal cultural center and ask if there is an Elder willing
to come to your class. Offer an honorarium for their time, at the very least a pouch of properly
packaged tobacco. This should be given BEFORE the Elder begins to speak, ideally when you
first meet him/her (Ideas, n.d., para 9).
Reference:
Ideas for Class Trips. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/deepeningknowledge/Teacher_Resources/Field_Trip_Reco
mendations.html

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44

Lesson #6: Natural or Built Worksheet

Natural Or Built?
Natural Features are those that

Built Features are made by people.

exist without people making them.

For example: trees, creeks, and cliffs.

For example: roads, buildings, and

bridges.

Task #1: Circle the natural features and underline the built features from the word bank below.
Path

River

Light

Bridge

Grass

Pond

Trees

Road

House

Mall

Water

Railroad

Task #2: Use the words from the word bank above and place them accordingly.

Natural Features

Built Features

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45

Lesson #7: Community Mural Checklist/Rubric

Student Name: ______________________

Date: _____________________

Success Criteria Checklist/Rubric

Mural: Student posts photograph from community walk (lesson 4)

Mural: Student contributes to the mural by painting or drawing any built or natural
feature such as a road, building, sun, grass, animal, school, etc.
Mural: Student describes the interrelationships between the people and the natural and
built features in their community
Mural: Student identifies service/service-related occupation in their community and
describes how it meets peoples needs, including their own needs
Mural: Student incorporates Indigenous features into their mural (e.g. animals, land)
Video/Written Response: Student discusses which part of the community he/she thinks
is most important/ Student discusses how he/she can contribute to the community
Social: Student works cooperatively
Social: Student demonstrates mutual respect
Social: Student demonstrates attentive listening
Social: Student demonstrates patience

Level 1
*Student is not able to
complete the criteria

Level 2
*Student is able to
complete some of the
criteria

Level 3
*Student is able to
complete most of the
criteria

Level 4
*Student is able to
complete all the
criteria

*0-3 criteria

*3-6 criteria

*7-9 criteria

*10 criteria

Notes:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________