Social Studies Extensions Menu

Columbus Day

Activity Description: You have been selected by a well known publishing company, Books for Babes, to write, illustrate and record a new informational book on Christopher Columbus and his voyage to discover a new route to India.

Grade Level: Kindergarten Quarter: First Nine Weeks

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Synthesis, Evaluation, and Analysis

Related Academic Strands: SSKH1b- The student will identify the purpose of national holidays and describe the people or events celebrated: Christopher Columbus.

Checklist for providing guidance: After the importance of Christopher Columbus has been taught in class, the students will write and illustrate a book, which highlights the most important facts about Columbus’ journey on the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. Students are to illustrate each page with paint, crayons, or markers. The students must design a cover for the book as well. Upon book completion, students will be given a tape recorder to read the book and record it. Students will decide on what signal they will record to indicate to listeners it is time to turn the pages. This recorded book can become a part of the classroom collection of books in the listening center after being presented to the class.

Resources: Students will need paper, writing and drawing implements, a cassette tape or the audacity program, and tape recorder or computer. Students will possibly need an item to use as an indicator to turn each page. Additional books on Columbus may be offered as additional support for the students. Teacher may laminate and bind the book for added durability.

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The New “Old Glory” Extension Activity

Activity Description: Oh say can you see….WHAT??!! You are presented with a task by the President to come up with a new design for OLD GLORY! Can you do it?!
Grade Level: Kindergarten / Quarter: First Nine Weeks
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Evaluation
Related Academic Strands: Historical Understandings
Related Standards and Elements: The students will identify the purpose of national holidays and describe the people or events celebrated on Columbus Day.
Checklist for Providing Guidance:
1. Watch the BrainPop video on US Symbols. The focus is on the American flag. The students will then be asked to create a new American flag and give a rational behind the design they created.
2. Be sure that the child understands the meaning of the existing American flag.
*Old Glory has 13 stripes, 7 red and 6 white alternating which represents the original 13 Colonies and signified separation from the mother country. The red stands for hardiness and valor, the white for purity. The union; which consists of white five point stars representing the number of states on a field of blue that stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice is placed in the upper quarter next to the staff and extending to the lower edge of the fourth red stripe from the top.
3. Display flags from other countries or provide materials showing the various flag designs.
4. When the project is complete it will be presented to the class and the student will explain why he or she chose this design.
Resources:

http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/citizenship/ussymbols/

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That’s My Job! Labor Day Extension Activity

Activity Description: Who does what around here?! Your mission is to find out. You will travel around the school (with a buddy, older student or parapro) and interview various school personnel and find out what they do to make a school run. You will take pictures, tape interviews and collect artifacts to share with your classmates upon completion of the mission, should you accept it!
Grade Level: Kindergarten / Quarter: First Nine Weeks
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level: Evaluation and Creating
Related Academic Strands: Historical Understanding
Related Standards and Elements: SSKH1: The student will identify the purpose of national holidays and describe the people or events celebrated - Labor Day
Checklist for Providing Guidance:
1. A whole group discussion of Labor Day should precede this assignment.
2. Coordinate with an upper grade teacher the assignment of a “buddy” to accompany your student on the interviews and to talk about questions he or she might ask.
3. Provide the student with a list of 3 very different school personnel positions i.e. principal, cafeteria manager, media specialist OR custodian, assistant principal, secretary OR counselor, academic coach, nurse
4. The student will then come up with some questions about that position.
5. The teacher will then set up a time for the student to interview the personnel given.
6. The student will use multimedia to present their findings to the class such as: video, pictures, and artifacts. The buddy who accompanies the student can set up the media, if needed.
7. The student will present the school personnel position findings to the class. THE STUDENT WILL NOT REVEAL WHAT PERSON HOLDS THIS POSITION OR THE NAME OF THE POSITION DURING THE PRESENTATION! The class will have to guess who it is and their job title at the conclusion of the presentation.
*Possible extension- Have all students interview their parents about their jobs.
Resources: Labels are provided below if you would like to use them!


Unexpected Exploration Extension Activity

Activity Description: You accidentally stumbled upon a time machine and ended up in Spain where you have been chosen to accompany Christopher Columbus on his journey to find a new trade route to India. A startling discovery is made when you step off the ship and you see ….. (student will complete this sentence with an unusual discovery of his or her choice and then show how it affected Columbus’ findings)
Examples: dinosaurs, a Lego city, rocket ships, Disney World, skyscrapers
Grade Level: Kindergarten / Quarter: First Nine Weeks
Bloom’s Taxonomy Level:
Related Academic Strands: Historical Understandings
Related Standards and Elements: SSSKH1: The student will identify the purpose of national holidays and describe the people or events celebrated - Columbus Day.
Checklist for Providing Guidance:
1. Children will view the BrainPop video and the PebbleGo virtual book on Christopher Columbus.
2. They will then complete the given sentence: A startling discovery is made when you step off the ship and you see ______!
3. The student will then create a product illustrating the unusual discovery and the impact it made upon the explorers. Examples: clay models, paint pictures, compose a song, make a video or play
4. Present their projects to the class.
Resources:

http://www.brainpopjr.com/socialstudies/holidays/columbusday/

http://www.pebblego.com/content/biographies/pgo_player.php (a component of Cobb Virtual Library)

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