Exploration
Grade 4 Social Studies
Learning Centres
Megan Denny
Amanda Fairley
Matthew James
Emily Jay
Jonathan Kierstead
Alex Sorensen
Khaled Steele
Table of Contents
______
Introduction to Learning Centre
Exploring Yourself
Must Activity – “Talking Contest”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Instructions
· Activity Assessment
Should Activity- “Write, Talk, Do: Learning Styles”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Instructions
· Activity Assessment
Could Activity- “About Me”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Instructions
· Activity Assessment
Exploring Yourself Take-home Sheet
Exploring the Past
Introduction to “Exploring the Past”
Must Activity- “Map Quest”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Instructions
· Student Worksheets
· Activity Assessment Rubric
Should Activity- “Information Books”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Directions
· Activity Assessment Rubric
Could Activity- “Navigation Craft”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Activity Assessment
Exploring the Present
Must Activity- “Exploring Land & It’s Surfaces”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student instructions
Should Activity- “Ocean”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Instructions
Could Activity- “Exploring Space Through a Voyage”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student instructions
Exploring the Future
Must Activity- “You are an Explorer”
· Teacher’s guide
· Student Worksheets
Should Activity- “Exploring Your Future Community”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Students Worksheets
Could Activity- “Create and Alien”
· Teacher’s Guide
· Student Worksheet
Assessment Rubric for “Explorer’s Portfolio”
Introduction
The Unit focused on was Unit 1: Exploration of the grade 4 social studies curriculum document. The purpose of this unit is to introduce the concept of exploration and to explain to students that we are all explorers in our own way. Students get to explore places they have visited or want to visit, people (including themselves) and ideas from the past, present, and future. They will learn that to be an explorer they do not have to discover something new, but perhaps something that is new to them. Exploration will occur around our physical world and through the different people that engage in exploration of ideas and knowledge. Students will use their communication skills, inquiry skills, and participate during the different activities. They will use those skills already acquired and sharpen them along the way. By the end of the unit, students will be able to understand how everyone is an explorer and that the types of exploration vary.
For this unit, learning centers were used which included a lot of interactive and hands on activities for the students. Learning centers are stations set in a classroom that includes all of the instructions to activities at the different stations. Usually, centers focus on one topic or area, and includes three or more activities. If you want to try it out with a classroom, it’s sometimes better to have just a few to try it out. These can be stations that they work at based on time or you can have them go to the centers to work on what they need to do when other work gets finished. All centers have a “must” activity, which at the end of the unit has to be done; they have a “should” activity, which is an activity that should be done at the end of the unit; and finally they have a “could” activity, which is an activity that doesn’t have to be done by the end of the unit. Learning centers are great, especially because the activities cater to all students’ different learning needs. In this case, the students were given a few minutes at each station, which were divided up into the following categories: past, present, future, and self exploration. Each station had a must, could, and should activity. Most students got to finish the must activity during the time allotted. On their spare time, or when work would be completed, students could go back and do other activities for the duration of the unit.
The students were divided at random for this learning center activity. Each student was given a portfolio with a specific color, which then divided the students according to their folder color. The portfolios were a great way of keeping track of students’ work. They had an explorers profile page as well as pages for each station, which had areas where the teacher could stamp the activities completed. It was like a short legend at the beginning of the portfolio to keep track of what work was completed. As students worked through the stations, they would add their worksheets to the portfolio. This also made it easier for assessment as well. Once the unit is completed and the students pass in their explorer’s portfolios, the students will be assessed according to the rubric provided in this document.
During the learning centers, the teacher’s job is mainly to facilitate. If students need extra instructions or need extra help to do certain work, they are available to cater. Most of the work for the teacher is in preparing the centers. The instructions at each station are usually written down and have folders for the assignment pages to go with each activity. If more resources are available, the instructions can be recorded orally and students can listen to it, or if you can videotape yourself that would also be really helpful. Learning centers are not made to teach the students but to foster an independence in them as well as satisfy the need to explore new concepts for themselves. If a teacher should want to replicate the following method of teaching this unit like we have done, the unit is organized according to the table of contents. We have included the lesson plans that we used in our centers. If centers wish to be used, the time of the lesson can be decreased or increased if you would like to do one of the activities in your daily lesson. If centers are to be used, prepare the activities in advance and have the students move through them.
Exploring Yourself
Activities Included:
“Talking Contest”
“write, Talk, Do”
“About Me”
Activity #1: MUST- “Talking Contest” Teacher’s Guide
Purpose: Students will explore themselves and learn more about their personality, their likes, and their dislikes.
Materials
direction sheets for each student
timer
colored duotangs
stamp
Time length: 10 minutes
Teacher directions:
Provide directions to students (in written form). Answer or clarify as needed. Provide a timer visible for students to see. Encourage students to use a quiet voice.
-Warm up:
Talk-off game: 3 minutes
Directions:
Students will find a partner (or group of three if necessary). They will count down aloud from three (three, two, one) and then say go. When they both say go, they both must start talking about themselves at the same time without stopping. If either pause for any reason (to think or catch breath), they lose. The goal of this game is for students to tell their partner as much about themselves as possible. For example, they should tell their partners what they look like, what they like to do on their free time, something they like to eat, what music they like to listen to. The winner is the person who can talk for the longest about themselves without stopping. If time allows, they should play again and try to say new things about themselves they did not say the first time.
Encourage students to use a quiet voice during this game. Both partners will be talking at the same time, but it is not a contest to see who can talk the loudest, it is a contest to see who can talk the longest.
-Lesson:
Phone conversation: 7 minutes
Directions:
Students will find a partner (or a group of three if necessary); this will be the same partner as the first activity. They will now role play a phone conversation. One partner will pretend to be listening on one end of the conversation (without speaking or asking questions). The other partner will be the speaking partner. The speaker must explain who they are, what they like, and what they dislike. They should try to explore and explain different parts about themselves. What do they want to learn more about? Is there anything they want to try to do for the first time? They should pretend as if they are on the phone, so they should take pauses throughout the conversation. After speaking for 3 minutes and 30 seconds (a timer will go off or the teacher will tell the students when to switch), students will switch roles. The person who was speaking must now listen while the listening partner now speaks.
Each partner must speak for 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
Assessment:
When completed, the students will take their sheet labeled Exploring Yourself, MUST: Talking Contest and receive a stamp from the teacher. This activity will be stamped when completed.
MUST: “Talking Contest” Student Worksheet
Talk-off game
Step 1: Find a partner (or group of 3)
Step 2: read directions
Step 3: count down aloud from three (3, 2, 1) and then say go
Step 4: you both must start talking about yourselves at the same time without stopping
Step 5: the game is over when one person stops talking or the timer goes off
Directions
-Rule: Please use a quiet voice during this game. Both you and your partner will be talking at the same time, but it is not a contest to see who can talk the loudest, it is a contest to see who can talk the longest.
-How do I win? If you talk the longest about yourself without stopping
-How do I lose? If either of you pause for any reason (to think or catch breath), you lose.
-What is the goal of this game? Try to tell your partner as much about yourself as possible (what you look like, what you like to do on your free time, something you like to eat, what music you like to listen to)
-What if we finish before the timer goes off? If you have extra time, play again and say new things you did not say the first time
MUST: “Talking Contest” Student Directions
Phone Conversation
Step 1: Find a partner (or group of 3) –the same one as the first activity
Step 2: read directions (steps 1-6)
Step 3: choose one partner to talk and one partner to listen
Step 4: the partner who listens should pretend like they are listening to another person on the phone
(do not speak or ask questions)
Step 5: the speaking partner should pretend they are having a phone conversation about themselves
-explain: who you are, what you like, what you dislike
-what do you want to learn more about? Is there anything you want to try for the first time?
-take pauses as if you were talking on the phone
-Step 6: when the timer goes off, switch roles (the person speaking now listens and the listener now speaks)
Activity #2- Should: “Write, Talk, Do: Learning Styles” Teacher’s Guide
Objectives: 4.1.1- Students will be expected to examine the concept of exploration
Purpose: To teach students that not everyone learns the same way and that some students learn best in more than one way.
Materials
hand out
paper
pencil
Time: 30 Min
Directions: Give students the hand out with questions. Students must pick one question. They will be prompted to answer the same question 3 different ways. Each way will appeal to a different learner style. (visual, auditory, Kinesthetic) Afterwards there will be a discussion on which they enjoyed most and why.
1. Give hand out to students.
2. Give time for students to answer the question in each of the 3 ways listed.
3. Allow students to share their answers.
4. Have a brief discussion about which they liked the most and why?
5. Rotate to next station.
Assessment: When completed, the students will take their sheet labeled Exploring Yourself, Should: Write, Talk, Do: Learner Styles and receive a stamp from the teacher. This activity will be stamped when completed.
Should: “Write, Talk, Do: Learning Style” Student Worksheet
Read the questions carefully. Talk with your partner and choose ONE question to answer in the three different ways listed below.
1) Act it out: Create a short role-play or dance and act out the answer. You could also take materials in the classroom and make something to share with the class.
2) Talk about it: Sing a song, write an interview or speech to answer the question.
3) Write about it: Draw a picture or create a poster to display your answer.
Questions:
What is one thing that no one knows about you and you would like them to know?
If you were trapped on a deserted island what would be the one thing you couldn’t live without?
Who would you trust the most with a big secret?
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world and why?
If you could be any kitchen utensil, what would it be and why?
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Remember: You must answer one of the questions in all three ways listed above.
Activity #3- Could: “About Me” Teacher’s Guide
Objectives: 4.1.1- Students will be expected to examine the concept of exploration
Purpose: This activity is designed to help students explore themselves and discover things about their classmates.
Materials
Paper
Pencil
eraser
colored folder for their group
hand out with instructions.
Time: 10 minutes
Directions: Students will be asked to create a list of up to ten specific things about themselves. It can be things that no one knows, for example, they are a good singer or can juggle. They can list things that they would like to do, explore more about or things they want to improve in. Once the list is complete they will be asked to go through their lists with their partners and see what things they can discover.
Warm up: A warm up could be to model the beginning of the activity between teachers.
1. Show students an example of the activity and go through the different kinds of things they can use in their list. For example: what students want to know about others, an ability they have that no one knows about, likes and interests, etc.