Social Studies Lesson Plan

Teacher:
Grade:
Date:

Kristina Benson
1st Grade
November 18th, 2015

What
In this lesson, students will begin to explore what makes an individual unique and how
someones differences can benefit a community. Specifically, students will explore their own
identity and uncover something about themselves that is unique and how that trait can be helpful
to others.
Students will be asked to engage in a discussion and use the turn and talk strategy to work with a
partner. A partner and group discussion about identity will foster a sense of comfort between the
students to share their differences and why they are important. By the end of the lesson, the goal
is that the students will have an understanding that we are all different and we should be proud of
our differences because they make us who we are.
How
This lesson will be taught in a familiar format to the students which consists of a read aloud,
discussion, and writing activity. The lesson will be introduced with a picture book that tells the
story of a bird that does not know how to fly, but loves to read. The bird is constantly teased for
being a bookworm but when the other birds are in trouble he saves the day with his
knowledge. This book will introduce the students to the overarching theme that we should be
proud that we are all different.
After the read aloud, the students will participate in a teacher-led discussion about what different
kinds of characteristics can make a person unique. The students will discuss how differences can
help a community and will then brainstorm what makes them unique. Through a written
assignment, the students will document how they are unique.
Why
The current social studies curriculum in this classroom is centered on classroom community. The
students have worked on classroom rules, their rights and responsibilities as students, and how to
make good choices. The theme of identity presented in this lesson fits in with what the students
have been working on in the classroom, however they have not specifically focused on
individuality. The students have learned about the Power of Three and the importance of taking
care of each other, but they have not specifically focused on acceptance and what makes them
unique.
I believe it is important to not only teach students to be nice to each other but to focus on what
makes them different and why it is important. Differences can often be the root of bullying and
behavior problems in a classroom. A lesson centered on individuality can help students recognize
their own identity and why it is important, as well as see how other people are different. I hope
that this lesson can go beyond physical differences, and that students can see that they can learn
from each other. This lesson will promote acceptance among the students and ask students to
consider how their individuality makes them special.

Goals/Objectives
Essential Questions
1. How are we unique from one another?
2. How can our differences benefit our classroom community?
Objectives for Students
1. Students will be able to identify what makes them unique as an individual.
2. Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of how differences can benefit a
community as a whole.
Materials and Preparation
Each student will need:
Lined paper with a picture box
Pencil
Crayons, colored pencils
Instructor will need:
Calvin Cant Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne
Chart paper
Markers
Classroom Arrangement and Management Issues
1. The small group of students will be pulled from the classroom and the lesson will be
taught in the library. The students will come together at one table and teacher will
position herself in a position that all the students will be able to see her and so that she
will be able to prop up and work with the chart paper. If the library is unavailable during
the time of this lesson, the group will come together on the carpet in the back of our
classroom.
2. This lesson will not require the students to move from their seats. The teacher will hold
all of the materials and pass them out as they are needed. This will prevent any
distractions that may arise from having the materials before they are needed.
3. Anticipated management concerns include failure to pay attention and take the lesson
seriously. I plan to avoid most issues by selecting students that will be respectful and
responsible during the lesson. This will allow me to focus on my teaching method rather
than behavior management.
Plan
Total Time Allotment: 35 minutes
1. Hook Read students Calvin Cant Fly (10 minutes)
a. In this book, students will hear a story about a bird that is teased because he
prefers reading over learning how to fly. The story shows students how an
individuals differences can make them unique and become beneficial to the entire
community. The following questions will be asked during the reading and will be
marked in the book with post-it notes.
i. What do you think a starling is?

ii. Why is Calvins discovery different than the other baby birds?
iii. Why are Calvins cousins teasing him?
iv. What do you think migration is? Why are they leaving?
2. Body of Lesson Discussion about identity and being unique (10 minutes)
a. Begin with a discussion about the book
i. What was different about Calvin?
ii. Why did the other birds tease him?
iii. What happened at the end? How did Calvin know how to save the day?
b. Explain to students that we are all unique and that we are going to brainstorm
some different ways that people can be unique.
i. Give students an example to guide their thinking Someone can be unique
because they know how to speak another language.
ii. Turn and talk Students should talk quietly with a neighbor for a few
minutes about what traits could make someone unique.
iii. Share Students will be asked to share their ideas and we will write them
down on chart paper
c. Discuss with students how our differences can help each other like Calvin helped
his family.
i. Use the characteristics on the chart paper to guide discussion. (How can
speaking another language help our class?)
3. Conclusion/Assessment Writing Activity (15 minutes)
a. Distribute paper and pencil to each student
b. Explain to students that they are going to write about what makes them unique.
Provide students with the sentence starter I am unique because
c. If students need help, refer them to the chart paper to generate ideas or have them
work with their partner to help them. Utilize the kid writing technique to
encourage students to spell what they hear.
d. If time permits, have students write why their uniqueness is important to the class.
e. Students will draw a picture to accompany their writing and will be given the
opportunity to color if there is time.
Assessment
Informal assessment will be done by the teacher during the discussions. Students ability to
generate traits that make a person unique and how these traits can benefit a community will
indicate the students understanding. Teacher will also observe students during the turn and talk.
This will allow students that may not be comfortable sharing with the whole class to demonstrate
their understanding of individuality and its importance. Formal assessment will be provided
through the students written work. If a student can identify what makes themselves unique and
how their individuality can benefit others, it can be determined that they have met the goals of
the lesson.
Anticipating Student Responses
1. I anticipate that students may have trouble identifying different characteristics that make
a person unique. This is why I have decided that I will share an example, in order to
guide their thinking.

2. Students may also give specific characteristics about themselves instead of a more
general characteristic. In this instance, I will applaud their answer and generalize it for
the group to understand. (For example: Student: Im different because I am from China.
Teacher: Interesting. So people can be unique because they are from different places?)
This kind of conversation will allow students that are struggling to see a more general
idea of what can be different about an individual.
Accommodations
1. This lesson is discussion based and my anticipation of student responses may provide
guidance for students that have trouble coming up with ideas for what makes a person
unique. The use of turn and talk will also allow students to work with a partner in the
event that they are really having trouble deciding what to write about.
2. If students finish the writing assignment early, they will be asked to expand their writing
and explain why their trait is important. They will also be given the opportunity to color
their illustration.