Leaving Certificate Applied
Social Education
Module: My Community
Approaches to teaching
“My Community”
My CommunityModule Description
This module seeks to develop the students’ sense of identity and pride in their local area, and a positive attitude towards what it has to offer.
It also provides an opportunity to acquire and develop some of the research skills that will be required throughout the two years of this course.
It is a very practical, hands on, research and activity based module that provides many opportunities for interesting classroom activity and research projects and fun.
Because it is community based, students enjoy going out into their community researching facilities, family histories, tourism opportunities etc.
Activities can include: Local history tour, Photographing the locality, Family Tree projects, Visits to the Council offices, Library tour, Newspaper collages, Art work.
Module Units
Unit 1Research Skills
Unit 2My Own Place
Unit 3My Family in the Local Area
Unit 4My Own Place in the Past
Unit 5 Community Amenities/Resources
Unit 6Planning in My Own Place
Recommendations for timetabling:
My Community should be allocated three (3) classes per week in Session 1, from September to January of Year 1.
Questions around the Module
Do I have to complete all learning outcomes?
Yes but, choose those which best suit your students and which are possible to complete in your locality. Focus on those outcomes which meet the aims of the module and also which help the students to complete the key assignments for the module.
Use local resources; family members, senior citizens, historians, local library, local councillors, town development committee members, tourist offices, volunteers in local organisations etc…
Assessment
Four key assignments to be completed over the duration of the module.
Complete these as you go, do not leave all assignments until the end of the session.
The assignments are varied and offer the students a variety of options e.g. participation in discussion, interview, collage, photography etc….
Encourage students to complete the assignments to the best of their ability.
One credit will be awarded on completion of all 4 assignments and a 90% attendance record.
Resources:
Social Education Module Descriptor pp.28-42
Most resources for this module are sourced locally – newspapers/old photographs/census report/the local library/local tourism office/town planning office.
Methodologies:
As with all Leaving Certificate Applied subjects, it is recommended to employ as much variation in methodology as possible in the teaching of this module.
The following activities could be used : pair and group work/ vox pop/ running debates/ word searches/ puzzles
The following websites may be useful for preparation of worksheets:
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Unit 1 Research Skills
Learning Outcomes / Methodology / Resources / IntegrationConduct simple survey
Vox pop – use taped responses / Survey a year group at break about school lunches/uniform etc / Prepare 5 questions / English
Prepare questionnaire / Choose topic/Yes/No questions etc / English
Record an interview / Use dictaphone / Prepare 10 questions / English
Bar/Pie charts / Chart results of survey / Maths
Library/Internet search / Visit library/ introduce search engines .. / Computer room/Local library / ICT
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the basic research skills.
Unit 2 My Own Place
Learning Outcomes / Methodology / Resources / IntegrationLocate own county, own area / Map of Ireland / Social Education
Locate local geographical features / Blank map
Identify access routes / Plot journeys using various routes / Road map / KEY ASSIGNMENT
Identify local towns / Road map
Census comparison / Compare old and recent figures / Library census reports / Maths
Ordnance survey work / Ordnance survey maps of local area
Resources:
Blank Ireland maps, road maps and atlas.
Local library will carry census reports
Useful websites:
- ordnance survey maps can be ordered on-line- ask for schools discounts.
Activities:
Much of the map work can be completed using a class set of local ordnance survey maps which the school geography dept. may have.
Unit 3 My Family in the Local Area.
Be sensitive to varying family structures within the class group. Allow students freedom to work within their comfort zone regarding their own family structure.
This is usually a fun and interesting unit for students as they discover their family history.
Learning Outcomes / Methodology / Resources / IntegrationResearch own family / Do family tree / Library/Internet/family / Social Education
Identify family members locally and elsewhere / Family tree
scrapbook / Family network
Investigate family ties in the area / Places of work/sporting ties/army etc
Interview a senior family member / Interview / prepare and record / Grandparent/aunt/uncle… / KEY ASSIGNMENT
Present family story / Present story to class / Art work/ My Family Scrapbook/ FamilyTree/ Genealogy search report / English
Resources:
Family photo albums/family tree research reports already at home/local history books.
Local library/ local genealogy office.
Useful websites:
Unit 4 My Own Place in the Past
Learning Outcomes / Methodology / Resources / IntegrationPresent local history report / Contact local history group/library records / Library/ local history group / Social Education
Describe transport in the past / Talk to grandparents
Locate local historical sites / Map work/local history tour / OS maps
Research local families of interest / Local history books / Library / KEY ASSIGNMENT
Now and then photo display / Take photos/compare with old pics / Library/ local history group
Guest speaker from local community / Contact elderly community member invite into class / Grandparents
Resources:
Local library/ local historian/history group.
Websites:
Activities:
Students could prepare an excellent ‘Then and Now’ photo display for other year groups in the school library/ assembly hall.
To take a morning local history walk/tour with a local historian as guide is another excellent learning opportunity for students.
Invite a senior member of the community to talk to the class and answer their questions about life in the past.
Unit 5 Community Amenities /Resources.
Learning Outcomes / Methodology / Resources / IntegrationIdentify local groups/clubs etc / Go out read noticeboards/local notes/ contact people / Students’ own local knowledge/ local newspapers / KEY ASSIGNMENT
ICT
Identify local natural resources / Visit tourism office / County Tourism officer/ County engineer / HCT
Report on local facilities/business opportunities / Invite town council member to address group / Local development officer/County councillor / Enterprise
ICT
Prepare a local tourism guide / Take tourism tour/invite guest speaker/web search/take photos/take a junior year group on local tour / Local tourism board/ Local business people involved in tourism / KEY ASSIGNMENT
HCT
ICT
Resources:
Local newspapers/ library/ tourism office/ County-City Councillors/ Local Enterprise Officer/
Websites:
Unit 6 Planning in My Own Place
Learning Outcomes / Methodology / Resources / IntegrationIdentify local authority contact numbers / Net search/phone book / Maths
Read map of locality / Os maps / O.S.Maps
Look at future local plans / Find planning notices locally / Local newspapers/ library lists / Social Education
Look at town development plans / Visit library for town plan / Copy of Town plan/ town planning office/
Identify planning application terms / Look in local newspapers/write to council for terms and conditions / Local newspapers/site notices / English
Identify local zoning areas / Invite local councillor to speak about local zoning / Town plan
Conduct local catchment survey / Visit supermarket / identify where people come from to shop / Vox pop / Maths
Resources:
Local county council offices- /local newspapers for planning notices/ library for 5 year town plans/ O.S. maps.
Activities:
Invite councillors to speak to group about zoning n the area
Websites:
SAMPLE WORKSHEETS MY COMMUNITY
Unit 1 Research Skills
------Worksheet 1 Name…………………………..Date……………………………..
Food Survey
1.Do you eat meat?
2.Do you eat potatoes?
3.How often do you eat chocolate?
4.How many times a week do you eat fast food?
5.List 5 foods you eat every day.
From this I have learned…………………………………….
My Community U1
Worksheet 2 Name……………………….Date………………………………………..
Research Skills Vocabulary
Research means………………..
A survey is………………………….
A questionnaire is…………………………
A bar chart is used for ……………………………………
A pie chart looks like ……………………………………………
Results are …………………………………………………My Community U1
Worksheet 3 Name…………………………………Date……………………..
Interview Questions
Task: You are interviewing a rock star who is visiting Ireland to perform in the Point on Friday night.
Write 10 questions you would ask him or her.
From these questions I will learn………………………….
My Community U1
Worksheet 4 Name……………………………..Date………………………….
I did a vox pop on…………………today.
I wanted to find out ………………………………
The question I asked was……………………………..
I learned……………………………………………..
My Community U1
Unit 2 My Own Place
------
Worksheet 1 Name……………………………Date…………………….
Draw a map of County……………………..
Mark in three towns, a river , a lake, mountains.
MY Community U2
Worksheet 2 Name………….Date………………………………….
From O.S. map name 4 historical features near …………………
Draw the symbols for these
Write 3 sentences about one of these places.
MY Community U2
Worksheet 3 NAME………………………..Date…………………………….
Describe 2 ways you could get from …………..to ………………… and calculate the distance by road using the scale guide.
My Community U”
Unit 3 My Family in the Local Area
------
Worksheet 1 Name……………………Date………………………..
Jobs in my family.
Write about the jobs members of your family have had in this area over the past 50- 100 years
MY Community U3
Worksheet 2 Name……………………….Date…………….
My Mam’s/Dad’s family story
Where they lived/ went to school/worked/went out/played sport/ how they met……………………….
My Community U3
Worksheet 3
Collage of family pictures (photocopy photos)
Put together a collage telling your family story.
My Community U3
Worksheet 4
Tell the story of one character in your family e.g a famous sportsman, traveller etc……………
My Community U3
Unit 4 My Own Place in the Past
------
Worksheet1
From our tour to……………………5 things I have learned are…………..
My Community U4
Worksheet 2
Five history books of this area I found in the library are ..
MY Community U4
Worksheet 3
On……………..….we had a guest speaker to our class.
Name of speaker……………………………………..
…..spoke about………………
The questions I asked were…………………………………
From this speaker I learned ……………………………………
My Community U4
Unit 5 Community Amenities/Resources
Worksheet 1
5 sports clubs in my area are……………………………….
3 clubs for U12’s are………………………………
3 clubs for U18’s are…………………………………
3 groups for adults are……………………………………..
My Community U5------
Worksheet 2
To complete my leaflet on local organisations I loooked up facilities for …………age group.
The 5 organisations I learned about are.
Name……… DayVenueContact person
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
My Community U5
Worksheet 3
Tourism in My Area
Contact the tourism office/do a web search/look at local papers and prepare a guide for tourists to one local place.
Give information on the history/cost/opening times and what you can do there.
My Community U5
------
Unit 6 Planning in My Area
Worksheet 1
The 6 steps to apply for planning permission to build a house are:
The cost of applying is:
The address I send my application to is ……………………..
The length of time I must wait for a reply is ………………..
My Community U6
-------Worksheet 2
Zoning
Zoning means…………………………………..
The different types of zoning are………………………………………………
In my area land is zoned for…………………………………………………………….
Local people feel………………………about the zoning because……………………………..
My Community U6
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