Names: Lauren Walker, Kathy Ruiz, Victoria Bragg, Meryl Machado and Ruth Storch EED 511: Elementary

Principles of Curriculum Development/Dr. Tovar/Summer 2013 Instructional Plan Type: Subject-Standards Grade Level: 2nd Grade Living Curriculum: Letter Writing (S2) Common Core Standards: Writing: With guidance and support from adults, produce writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (2.W.4) a. With guidance and support from adults, produce functional writing (e.g., friendly letters, recipes experiments, notes/messages, labels, graphs/tables, Goal/Outcome directions, posters) in which the development and organization are appropriate to task and purpose. (AZ.2.W.4) Comprehension and Collaboration: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). b. Build on others talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others. c. Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under discussion. (2.SL.1) Conventions of Standard English: 2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names. b. Use commas in greetings and closings of letters. c. Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.

 d. Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage badge; boy boil). e. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings. (2.L.2) Objectives: SWBAT Compose and address a friendly letter to a member of the community, recognizing them for their contribution to the community. Sub-Objectives Students will demonstrate an understanding of the friendly letter format Students will be able to write a coherent message (3-5 sentences) using standard conventions Students will be able to correctly address an envelope Students will explore what the role of a respectful community looks like through writing to a community member Students will incorporate new learning about their community into their letter Why is communication important? Related Topical Questions to explore: Why do we write letters? Why is it important to write clearly and purposefully? How can we show respect to others through letter writing? How can reaching out to others help us get to know our community? Introduction Connecting prior knowledge from S1 lesson on self respect. Teacher will begin the lesson by highlighting key points from the S1 Lesson. What does respect mean? What are examples of how we can respect ourselves? Opening Activity We know what respect is and we know what it means to respect

Essential Questions

ourselves. We will explore what it means to respect our community. What does our community look like? Who are key members of our community? Students will receive small maps of their town with images Learning of key places in the community (i.e. hospital, fire Structures/Act department and school). ivities http://www.oncoloring.com/coloring-pagetown_657572.html. Working in pairs, students will complete the map by writing essential community members (i.e. firemen, police officers, town officials, business people, restaurant owners/servers, librarians, community center directors, post office workers, teachers, grocery store clerks, and doctors). Teacher will display a similar map on the smart board or overhead. Students will share the key community members they identified and the teacher will record all the community members on the board, ensuring there are enough key members identified. Discussion Questions: How can we show respect for the people in our community who help keep our community clean, safe and healthy? (have students TPS with partner) Saying Thank You through Letter Writing Students will explore the relationship between respect and expressing thanks through letter writing. Teacher will gather students on the floor/map near an easel to model a friendly letter. Begin by discussing the following questions as a group: How do you feel when someone thanks you? Why and when do we say thank you? Why is important to say thank you to someone who help us? I Do/We Do: Teacher will tell a brief story about visiting the grocery store and having too many heavy things to carry. After witnessing her struggle with the bags, a grocery worker asks her if she needs

help and helps her carry her bags to her car. TTW then model a think aloud, such as: I was so thankful to the grocery store employee for helping me, I thought, hmmm, how could I show my gratitude? How about I write a letter! TTW guide students through a friendly letter, step by step, using the easel. TTW ask for student input, creating the letter collaboratively. For example: Dear Grocery Store Worker, (or a made up name) Thank you so much for helping me last week. I was really having a tough time with my groceries. When you helped me I felt very happy. I hope that you have a great day. Sincerely, Mrs. So and So You Do: After the model is complete, students will pair up and be assigned a specific community member. (based on interest and teacher The teacher will instruct students to brainstorm all that they know about their community member as well as reference books about that community member. (10-15 minutes) Working with a partner for support, students will each write a letter to a community member they identified on their map. The model letter will remain visible for students to use as a guide. Students will express gratitude for the work their community member does. Follow up Mini-lesson Students will share their letters by reading aloud to others through a hand up-stand up-pair up. The teacher will review expectations and students will have the opportunity to edit their letter. The teacher will model addressing a letter on the easel Students will each receive an envelope and will address their letter as modeled. (The teacher will provide the address The teacher will provide stamps and have one student deliver the letters to the schools outgoing mailbox.

*Paper *Pencils *Handout of comunity map Resources/Ma *Online communitym map to display terials *SMARTBoard *Easel and markers *Examples of Letters *Crayons The students letter must include key vocabulary and state what the specific community members do for our community. Students will be graded with the following rubric on their letters and envelopes. Assessments

Rationale

Prior to this lesson, students constructed a definition for respect and explored ways to apply the definition to respecting themselves. Through this lesson they are expanding to other individual community members and we will consider key community members that help keep our neighborhood safe, clean and healthy. This ideal is discussed in the Henderson & Gornik with the multiperspective inquiry map. Through the interpretations of stories and human events students will explore diverse viewpoints of the community (Henderson & Gornik, 2007, pg. 75). It is vital for students to explore and understand how each community member works in the community and that their place is important for our community to work well. By focusing on one of the six facets of understanding, perspective, students can empathize with and learn to appreciate other community members.

Letter writing is an essential component to life as an adult and as a community member. Whether writing a friendly postcard, a Thank You note, or a sympathy card everyone at some point in their lives will construct and deliver a letter or note. Thus it is an important skill for students to master if they are to be prepared for the business world. Though many memos and correspondence are becoming more technology based there is still an importance to knowing how to write notes and letters. This is a crucial life skill students must know how to do and many families are unable or do not stress the importance of this skill. In order to stay competitive later in life it is vital for students to know and understand simple skills along with technology based ones. Students must know how to express themselves to their community and show appreciation and empathy. One way to show empathy and appreciation for the community is to express gratitude. Students will learn about the importance of saying thank you, and how to express thank to vital members of the community. This ideal is also touched on in Henderson and Gornick with the idea of walking the talk by expressing good values (Henderson & Gornick, 2007, pg. 76). They will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and demonstrate their understanding of a respectful community by writing a letter to a community member. They will then mail these letters to the specific community members to be dispersed in the community.

Works Cited Henderson, J. G., & Gornik, R. (2007). Transformative curriculum leadership. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Rischer, Andres D., (2008). Management Strategies Help to Promote Student