Kindergarten

Social Studies

Unit 07 Lesson 01

Lesson Synopsis:

Students learn about what makes a celebration. They brainstorm celebrations they have experienced and classify them into categories. They focus on national holidays and learn about two holidays celebrated in our national community: Veterans Day and Independence Day.

TEKS:

K.1 / History. The student understands that holidays are celebrations of special events. The student is expected to:
K.1A / Explain the reasons for national patriotic holidays such as Presidents’ Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day.
K.1B / Identify customs associated with national patriotic holidays such as parades and fireworks on Independence Day.
K.11 / Culture. The student understands similarities and differences among people. The student is expected to:
K.11A / Identify similarities and differences among people such as kinship, laws, and religion.
K.11B / Identify similarities and differences among people such as music, clothing, and food.

Social Studies SkillsTEKS:

K.14 / Social studies skills. The studentapplies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
K.14A / Obtain information about a topic using a variety of valid oral sources such as conversations, interviews, and music.
K.14B / Obtain information about a topic using a variety of visual sources, such as pictures, symbols, electronic media, print material and artifacts.
Getting Ready for Instruction
Performance Indicator(s):
  • Illustrate people celebrating Independence Day and Veterans Day as national patriotic holidays. Explain, orally or in writing, why and how each is celebrated. (K.1A, K.1B, K.14A)3H, 5A

Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
  • Las celebraciones, costumbres y tradiciones nos definen como país.

¿Cómo las celebraciones, costumbres y tradiciones nos definen como país?

¿Por qué celebramos el Día de la Independencia?

¿Cómo celebramos el Día de la Independencia?

¿Por qué celebramos el Día de los Veteranos?

¿Cómo celebramos el Día de los Veteranos?

—¿Por qué las personas de nuestro país participan exhibiendo símbolos patrios y/o participando en celebraciones?

Vocabulary of Instruction:

©2012, TESCCC05/01/13page 1 of 6

Kindergarten

Social Studies

Unit 07 Lesson 01

  • comunidad
  • celebración
  • voto
  • patriótico
  • nación

©2012, TESCCC05/01/13page 1 of 6

Kindergarten

Social Studies

Unit 07 Lesson 01

Materials:

  • Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials.

Attachments:

  • Teacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix
  • Teacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix Example KEY

Resources and References:

  • Library of Congress Local Legacies link:

Advance Preparation:
  1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
  2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
  3. Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
  4. Preview websites according to district guidelines.
  5. Locate a variety of information sources about celebrations.
  6. Prepare audio clips of music for celebrations, including patriotic celebrations) for Day 1
  7. Create Celebration Matrix on chart paper.
  8. Collect photographs to go with the Celebration matrix for day 2

Background Information:
  • Traditions– are developed from the process of sharing knowledge and practices through generations with and without written instruction
  • Customs– create a bond based on common experience and shared values
  • Voting– an expression or preference for a particular person or issue that needs to be resolved or validated;the majority vote always wins
  • Celebration–a day or event with ceremonies of respect, festivity, or rejoicing; a joyful occasion for special festivities to mark some happy event
  • Holiday(s)–A holiday is a day when one is free from work or school. Legal holidays at the state or national level pay respect to the accomplishments of historical figures (Martin Luther King or Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln) or to groups of people (Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, and Labor Day). Holidays also commemorate significant events (Fourth of July, Texas Independence, and Juneteenth). These are secular holidays as distinct from religious holidays or holy days, examples of which include Christmas, Hanukkah, and Passover. Thanksgiving is a legal holiday recognized by the U.S. government as the official day to give thanks for the good things in life.
  • Veterans Day – honors military veterans, citizens who have served in the military. (National holiday observed on November 11. Originally commemorated when the fighting during WWI ceased in 1918 – the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Later expanded to recognize all veterans of foreign wars and then all veterans.)
  • Independence Day –commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. (National holiday first celebrated in 1777)
  • Patriotic–inspired by love of country
  • Nation–a country; a self-governing political entity whose people share a common culture
  • History–a chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes; events of the past

Source: Social Studies Center [defunct]. (2000). Glossary. Austin: Texas Education Agency.

Getting Ready for Instruction Supplemental Planning Document

Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners. The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page. All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.

Instructional Procedures
Instructional Procedures / Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE –What is a celebration? / NOTE: 1 Day = 30 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 10 minutes
  1. Play and/or sing short clips of songs about celebrations for students. These may include the school song, various holiday songs, patriotic songs, songs that reflect the heritage of students in the class, etc. Ask:
  • When do we play songs like these? (at a party or a celebration)
  • Why do we play songs? (music is fun to listen to, it makes us feel good)
  • How do songs like these make us feel?(they make us feel happy or excited)
  1. Write the word “celebration” on a piece of chart paper and read the word to the students. Say:
  • A celebration is a party or other special event that people have for an important occasion or holiday.
  1. Next, play different music clips that are easily recognizable to students, such as “Happy Birthday,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” a college fight song from a local college, a popular song among an ethnic group in your community.
  1. Students identify at which specific celebration this particular song might be heard.
  1. Lead students to draw conclusions such as:
  • Music is often used in celebrations because it can make the celebration festive. It often makes us feel happy, excited, or proud. The kind of music played at a celebration is decided by the kind of celebration being observed.
/ Materials:
  • audio clips of various songs used for celebrations
  • chart/butcher paper
Purpose:
Use music to introduce the concept of celebrations.
TEKS: K.11B; K.14B
Instructional Note:
  • An Internet search for websites with songs for young children can yield appropriate songs. Review websites to assure compliance with the district’s Acceptable Use Policy. They are not required for instruction.
  • Center Idea:Place items in centers to allow students to participate in make-believe celebrations. Items might include music CDs, costumes and hats, decorations to hang or place in the home center. Include as many items from as many of the celebrations on the Matrix as possible.

EXPLORE- Celebrations We Know / Suggested Day 1 (continued) - 15 minutes
  1. Provide students an opportunity to, individually, brainstorm kinds of celebrations they have participated in within their family, neighborhood or community.
  1. After thinking for a minute or two, students pair up and share their ideas with one other.
  1. Provide students an opportunity to share their responses with the group. (As an example, share your own experience celebrating Independence Day and/or Veterans Day.) Each time a student responds to what they think of when they think of celebrations, write the response on one sticky note and write the student’s first name or initials at the bottom of the note. Continue to accept responses until all students have shared at least once.
  1. After students have shared their ideas on celebrations, reread the responses and ask students if they notice any ideas that are similar or that might be grouped together. If necessary, assist in grouping stickynotes with common characteristics. For example, ideas that are all focused on the school community might go together while ideas that relate to local festivals mightbe in another group and ideas that are national celebrations would be in a different group. Move sticky notes to form groups or categories on the chart paper.
  1. After the class has grouped ideas based on commoncharacteristics, decide on an appropriate label for each group.
/ Materials:
  • sticky notes
  • chart paper
Purpose:
Brainstorm celebrations they have attended or know and group them into categories.
TEKS:K.11B; K.14B
Instructional Note
The key academic term history could be introduced here. (Example: Veterans Day commemorates events important to our nation’s history.)
EXPLAIN–Share with a partner / Suggested Day 1 (continued) –5 minutes
  1. Students discuss with a partner their ideas about the following topics:
  • What is a celebration?
  • What makes an event a “celebration?”
  • What words describe a celebration?
  • How do celebrations make you feel?
  1. Monitor students, and ask questions, correctmisinformation, provide additional information, etc.
/ Purpose:
Verbalize the meaning of celebrations.
TEKS: K.11B; K.14B
ENGAGE–Recall prior learning / Suggested Day 2– 5 minutes
  1. Display categorized chart of holidays generated during Day 1.
  1. Read labels of categories aloud to students and invite students to recall the celebrations they shared with the group.
  1. Ask if they can think of other celebrations to add to the categories. Encourage students to notice that these celebrations bring emphasis to people, events, and ideas that are important to “us.”
/ Materials:
  • Categorized chart of holidays from Day 1
TEKS: K.11B; K.14B
EXPLORE –Learn about Celebrations / Suggested Day 2 (continued)–25 minutes
  1. Display theTeacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix. As discussion continues, add information from students as appropriate. (See Teacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix Example KEY)
  1. Read and/or share information (possibly with a video) about customs, celebrations, and traditions in different communities from a variety of sources.
  2. As students are learning about celebrations from these sources, ask questions, such as:
  • What kinds of clothing are the people wearing at the celebrations?
  • Are the clothes similar or different from one celebration to another?
  • What kinds of food do you see in the pictures?
  • Is the food similar or different when comparing different celebrations?
/ Materials:
  • Library of Congress Local Legacies link:
Attachments:
  • Teacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix
  • Teacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix Example KEY
Purpose:Expand students’ knowledge of celebrations and organize their new knowledge on a graphic organizer.
TEKS:K.11B; K.14B
ENGAGE –Recall Celebrations Matrix / Suggested Day 3– 5 minutes
  1. Display Celebrations Matrix.
  1. Read the list of celebrations aloud to help students recall discussion from Day 2.
  1. Show photographs and ask students to describe the kind of celebration is illustrated in each picture.
  1. Ask questions that help focus on music, clothing, food that might be used in the celebration.
/ Materials:
  • photographs/pictures of celebrations
  • Teacher Resource: Celebrations Matrix(added to on Day 2)
Instructional Note
  • Choose photographs that go with the celebrations listed on the Celebrations Matrix. Photographs/pictures can be from books or found by conducting an internetsearch using key words that relate directly to the celebrations on the Matrix.

EXPLAIN – Celebrations Quilt / Suggested Day 3 (continued) – 15 minutes
  1. Students choose one of the celebrations from the Celebrations Matrix and prepare to use the terms celebration andhistory, to summarize the purpose of the celebration and the customs and traditions related to it.
  1. Distribute to each student a square of paper to be used to make a paper quilt square.
  1. On the square, students illustrate and label a picture based on one celebration that their family participates in within the community.
  1. With a partner, students take turns sharing their quilt square and summarizing the celebration represented. Partner A listens while Partner B talks; then Partner B listens while Partner A talks.
/ Materials:
  • paper, white drawing paper cut into 8x8 squares (or a size that will work well for display)
  • butcher/chart paper(to glue finished quilt squares)
TEKS:K.1A, K1.B; K.11A, K.11B
Purpose
Provide students the opportunity to express what they have learned about celebrations by illustrating a picture.
Instructional Note
Create a class Celebrations Quilt by gluing the students’ pieces together on a large piece of butcher paper. Use a black marker to outline each square and create marks to represent the thread between squares.
ENGAGE–Focus on national holidays / Suggested Day 4– 5 minutes
  1. Play short clips of patriotic music. Use the academic vocabulary term patriotic to describe the music.
  1. Access prior learning by encouraging students to recall Unit 3, Celebrate Freedom Week.
  1. Extend the discussion to review learning, reminding students that in the past few daysthey have talked about celebrations.Ask students to name the national holidays we celebrate.
/ Materials:
•clips of patriotic music
Instructional Note
The key academic vocabulary can be discussed in this section.
EXPLORE –Veterans Day and Independence Day / Suggested Day 4(continued) –20 minutes
  1. Introduce Veterans Day by stating:
  • We celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th.
  • Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all those people who served well in the military –when our country is at war or during times of peace.
  • Veterans Day is intended to thank living Veterans for their service and to recognize that their service to our country to keep us safe is appreciated. Emphasize the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty. Veterans are important to us so we celebrate them.
  1. Ask students if they know how we celebrate Veterans Day in our community.
  1. Read aloud a book that describes how communities celebrate Veterans Day.
  1. Shift discussion to Independence Day, another patriotic celebration. Remind students about Celebrate Freedom Week.
Use words such as
  • We also celebrate Independence Day on July 4th.
  • Independence Day honors the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
  • Independence Day was celebrated in 1777 with parades, music, and fireworks displays and has become one of the most cherished celebrations in the United States.
  • Our independence and freedom are important to us so we celebrate them.
  1. Ask students if they know how we celebrate Independence Day in our community.
  1. Read aloud a book that describes how communities celebrate Independence Day.
/ Materials:
  • Books to read aloud about Veterans Day and Independence Day
Purpose:
Focus on Veterans Day and Independence Day as celebrations that are important to our community and nation.
TEKS: K.1A; K.11A, K.11B
Instructional Note
Reinforce academic vocabulary.
EXPLAIN / Suggested Day 4 (continued)–5 minutes
  1. Students prepare a sentence that summarizes the purpose and traditions around Veterans Day and/or Independence Day.
  1. Student partners take turns sharing their summary statements, using academic vocabulary (e.g., history, nation, celebration, patriotic).
/ Instructional Note:
Create a word bank for students to use in their summary statements. Include academic vocabulary from discussions from Days 1-4.
ELABORATE / Suggested Day 5 –5 minutes
  1. Facilitate a discussion so students can focus on the big ideas from the Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
  • Celebrations, customs, and traditions define us as a country.
Why do we celebrate Veterans Day?
How do we celebrate Veterans Day?
Why do we celebrate Independence Day?
How do we celebrate Independence Day?
How do celebrations, customs, and traditions define us as a country?
Why do people in our country participate in displaying symbols and/or participate in celebrations?
EVALUATE / Suggested Day 5–25 minutes
1.Illustrate people celebrating Independence Day and Veterans Day as national patriotic holidays. Explain, orally or in writing, why and how each is celebrated. (K.1A, K.1B, K.14A)3H, 5A
2.Distribute white construction paper.
3.Students fold the paper in half.
4.On one half students illustrate people celebrating Independence Day; on the other half students illustrate people celebrating Veterans Day.
5.Under each illustration, students write a sentence explaining the picture. (The explanation can be made orally.)
6.Refer once again to the Key Understanding posted
  • Celebrations, customs, and traditions define us as a country.
7.Each student explains his/her illustrations, including why those particular celebrations are important to the community and what the celebration represents. / Materials:
  • White drawing paper, 8 ½ X 11
Purpose:
Demonstrate understanding of Independence Day and Veterans Day.
TEKS: K.1A; K.11A, K.11B

©2012, TESCCC05/01/13page 1 of 6