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Human Rights Unit Plan

Evangelia Stathopoulos
Dr. Ellie Fitts-Fulmer
Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary School Social Studies
December 16, 2015

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Table of Contents
Unit Introduction, Rationale, and Overview 3
Lesson Descriptions . 5
Lesson 1 7
Lesson 2.... 9
Lesson 3.... 18
Lesson 4.... 26
Lesson 5.... 28
Unit Reflection Overview. 30
Graphic Organizer (Lesson 2 and Lesson 3). 33
Exit Ticket (Lesson 2) .. 34
Student Artifacts
Lesson 2: The right to education 35
Lesson 3: The right to belong to a country. 40

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I.
Unit Introduction, Rationale, and Overview
The central focus of this unit has been created to fit into Northeasts social justice theme
that has been adapted for a social studies unit. The first grade team has adopted five out of the
thirty human rights. The five within this unit include the right to education; the right to health,
food, clothing and housing; the right to belong to a country; the right to gather peacefully; and
the right to live in freedom and safety. I specifically taught the right to an education and the right
to belong to a country. Exposing children to their rights as humans within a familiar context of
school provides an enriching learning experience to understand the rights that protect them.
These lessons encourage students to apply new knowledge of human rights in becoming
advocates for social justice and to apply knowledge of human rights to develop ideas of
interconnectedness, contribution and community in terms of mutual respect. These ideals within
learning about human rights create a dialogue and transparency with students as they begin to
take charge of their education. The guiding questions that shaped this unit plan involved the
following questions: What are our human rights? How can we help others have their educational
learning needs met? And how can knowledge of human rights foster mutual understanding and
respect?
This unit has been developed with a diverse group of students in mind. There are a total
of twenty-three students. There are twelve girls and eleven boys in the classroom. There are a
variety of different strengths and needs present in the classroom. For instance we have two
students who have a diagnosed disability who each have individualized education plans. There
are six students who are learning English as a new language who are at various levels of English
proficiency. Many students are bilingual and are from different places around the world
contributing to the diversity within the classroom. The classroom has a mixture of strong

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personalities that contribute to the changing tone of the classroom. The students have a strong
focus and desire for learning within the established positive classroom community.

II.

Lesson Descriptions

Lesson 1: The right to health, food, clothing, and housing: Not Taught
The right to health, food, clothing and housing is the first lesson of the unit. Students will
explore the differences between needs vs. wants. A discussion will be led asking students to
brainstorm some needs and wants. These ideas will be written on the board as students shareout. Students will be directed to watch a Brain Pop that explains needs and wants; they are
familiar and enjoy watching these videos. After watching the video, students will discuss some
similarities and/ or differences between what the class brainstormed and what was explained in
the video. Students will use this knowledge and complete a cut-glue-color graphic organizer (tchart) that gives students choices to complete in response to needs and wants.
Lesson 2: The right to education: Taught
The right to education lesson encourages students to see and understand the power behind
education. The lesson addresses the different ways in which we all learn leading to why
classrooms look and feel differently to specific individuals. This addresses specific learning

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differences within the general education classroom while maintaining a strong sense of
community. Acknowledging everyones right to an education and sharing a classroom space but
also validating that school and learning comes differently to everyoneframing these
differences as future opportunities and experiences. This lesson will have discussion component
where equity and equality will be introduced as fairness and equal opportunity respectively.
Following the discussion, students will participate in drawing and dictating their personal needs
in school. Possible answers made include using office spaces, headphones or moving to an
individual table. To close the lesson students will be prompted to think about different learning
needs that we discussed during the read aloud of Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco.
Lesson 3: The right to belong to a country: Taught
The right to belong to a country is the next lesson in the unit. Within this lesson students
will be introduced to immigration and what it means when people from other countries travel to
live and work in a new place as this is a relevant topic for many students in class. Students will
be exposed in learning about a variety of different stories and connections with the world.
Looking at the different countries that we represent in our classroom the culminating activity for
this lesson is creating a world map. The We belong to the U.S. and map activity will consist
of a world map projected onto the ENO board alongside a cardstock map of the United States.
Students will participate in putting their mark (initials) on countries with which they have
connections using a family letter to better guide students. These maps will be displayed around
the classroom showcasing how many different connections one class has with not just the United
States but the world.
Lesson 4: The right to gather peacefully: Not Taught
The right to gather peacefully is the following lesson. Students will be able to explore
what it means to be peaceful, in learning empathy looking beyond them to see the needs of others
in a sensitive waytreating one another with respect. The read-aloud associated with this lesson
includes Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. This read-aloud
will spark discussion about what it means to stand up for yourself when things get hard; this is a
big part of becoming an advocate which is an idea that is driving student knowledge and
understanding of their own human rights. This lesson will complement the filling our bucket
theme which is a part of the classroom culture. Filling our bucket refers to students building each
other up. This all contributes to students growing understanding of mutual respect and how this
fosters individuals to engage as well as begin to recognize when/ what they are doing as it relates
to their best learning.
Lesson 5: The right to live in freedom and safety: Not Taught
The right to live in freedom and safety builds on all of the previous lessons. Not only do
we have the right to belong to a country but a country that is safe and has different kinds of

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freedoms. This lesson will include a discussion on what it means to feel safe in a country. This
can be taken further and give students more context of their own classroom and what it means to
be safe in a classroom. Student ideas will be transferred from the brainstorming activity onto a
tree. As a whole-class students will build a human rights tree. This tree will include what
students believe all people need to live freely and safely but also with dignity. Drawings along
with written words are encouraged to fill in the tree branches. The tree will be posted within the
classroom as a reminder how one is safe in school within a classroom but also safe outside of
school. Allowing students to bring in personal connections of what they understand makes them
feel safeas this can be different across students.
Overall, these five lessons specific to human rights will allow students to understand
some of their rights. These lessons will also spark students to engage in challenging topics that
might impact students first hand. Through learning and exploring our human rights students will
be able to develop ideas of interconnectedness, contribution and community in terms of mutual
respect. These lessons give students the chance to engage in dialogue with intent to further
understand their peersrespecting everyones story.

Lesson 1: The right to health, food, clothing, and housing

Context:

This lesson is going to be taught within the larger framework of human rights/social justice.
The first grade team has adopted five human rights; this is the first lesson out of the five.
The long range objectives are consistent throughout the unit plan which includes students to
understand that they have rights that protect them; to apply knowledge of human rights in
becoming advocates for social justice; to apply knowledge of human rights to develop ideas
of interconnectedness, contribution, and community in terms of mutual respect.
This lesson has been developed with a diverse group of students in mind. There are a total of
twenty-three students. There are twelve girls and eleven boys in the classroom. There are a
variety of different strengths and needs present in the classroom. There are two students who
have a diagnosed disability who each have individualized education plans. There are six
students who are learning English as a new language who are at various levels of English
proficiency. The classroom has a mixture of strong personalities that contribute to the
changing tone of the classroom. The students have a strong focus and desire for learning
within the established positive classroom community.

Standards:
CCSS.SS. C. 2. Identify similarities and/ or differences between him/ her and others, with detail.
CCSS.SS. F. 1 Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in discussion, regardless of whether
one agrees with other viewpoints.

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CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts,
and feelings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
Objectives:
Students will be able to differentiate between needs and wants.
Students will be able to write a sentence and draw a picture describing one of our basic
human needs (health, food, clothing and housing).
Procedure:

Students will be introduced to the word rights, students will be asked to brainstorm what they
think rights are and who has them. Students ideas will be written on the white board.
After having facilitated a brainstorm about rights students will be told that we have rights for
being human and there are twenty of them. Today we are going to be learning about our right
to health, food, clothing and housing. The right to health, food, clothing, and housing will be
written on a sentence strip.
Students will be asked to raise their hands to participate in unpacking what I mean when I
say need. Now, knowing what we know about some things we need to survive like food,
water, clothing and housing; does anyone know what I mean when I say, a want? Students
will be asked to raise their hands to participate. Student responses will be written on chart
paper. Students will be asked to continue thinking about needs and wants as we watch the
Brain Pop: Needs vs. Wants video projected onto the ENO board.
Students will watch the Brain Pop and participate in the quiz after the video
After watching the video, students will be asked to complete the graphic organizer using their
knowledge of needs and wants.
o The graphic organizer is a T Chart with a needs and a wants column. Given a minipacket of pictures students will individually categorize each picture under the
appropriate column. Students will need to be able to cut, glue and color each picture.
Once finished, students will place their completed graphic organizer in the Finished
Work bin.
Inclusiveness/ Differentiation:
This lesson incorporates and addresses each of the three major principles of Universal Design
which include providing multiple means of representation, action and expression as well as
engagement. The different means of representation include the Brain Pop video, the graphic
organizer and the student brainstorm ideas displayed on chart paper. This lesson requires student
participation and discussion. The lesson also asked students to complete an activity using what
they learned.

H is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. H shows difficulty following multistep

directions so a white board checklist will be used throughout the lesson.

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E is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. E benefits from explicit white board
directions especially alongside whole-class discussions.
X and Y are English language learners and benefit from increased wait time for auditory
processing but also modeling instructions as well as visual representations alongside
instructions/ directions.

Assessment(s):

The graphic organizer will be used as an assessment once completed as each student will
complete their own workshowcasing individual student understandings of needs vs. wants.
After watching the Brain Pop video, students will be asked to get one white board, marker
and eraser. The students will complete the quiz associated with the video as a class. The
question as well as all the answer choices will be read to the students, the students will be
asked to write the letter of the choice they think is the answer (A, B, C or D). Students will
be asked to turn their white boards around to face the ENO board once having answered.
These responses will also be used as individual student assessments.

Lesson 2: The right to education

Name
Lesson Title or Topic

Evangelia Stathopoulos
We Have A Right to an Education (Human Rights/ Social
Justice)
Grade Level
Grade 1
Course Name or Content Area
Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary School Social
Studies
Central Focus of the Learning Segment/Unit
Describe the central focus for the content/skill you will teach in this learning segment/unit. The
central focus should address the important understandings and core concepts/skills you want
student to develop in this series of lessons.
The central focus of this lesson is to introduce students to their right to education. The discussion
will be targeted in breaking down equity vs. equality and what an equitable education looks like in
the context of our classroom. The dialogue will be focused on exploring ideas behind
differentiation leading students to understand different needs receive different accommodations for
our friends in class to do their best learning.
Context
1. Explain the larger context in which this lesson fits. For example, explain what larger unit
would be going on at the time of this lesson and how this lesson fits into the unit.
2. State the long-range learning objective/s to which this lesson contributes. The long-range

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objectives should deal with mastery of knowledge/skills that students will be able to transfer to
real-life situations.
3. Describe the students for whom this lesson has been developed. Consider the personal,
cultural, and community assets of your students.
1. This lesson is going to be taught within the larger framework of human rights/ social justice
unit. The first grade team has adopted five human rights; this lesson addresses one out of these
five.
2. The long-range learning objectives are that students understand that there are rights that protect
them; to apply knowledge of human rights in becoming advocates for social justice; to apply
knowledge of human rights to develop ideas of interconnectedness, contribution and
community in terms of mutual respect.
3. This lesson has been developed with a diverse group of students in mind. There are a total of
twenty-three students. There are twelve girls and eleven boys in the classroom. There are a
variety of different strengths and needs present in the classroom. There are two students who
have a diagnosed disability who each have individualized education plans. There are six
students who are learning English as a new language who are at various levels of English
proficiency. A lot of our students are bilingual and have connections all over the world. This
contributes to the various aspects of diversity within our classroom. This lesson references
difference and characterizes it as a valuable opportunity to learn about each others learning
styles and preferences. The classroom has a mixture of strong personalities that contribute to
the changing tone of the classroom. The students have a strong focus and desire for learning
within the established positive classroom community.
Prior Knowledge
What knowledge, skills, and concepts must
students already know to be successful with this
lesson?
Students will need to know the definition of a
right, and what it means for them personally.
Students will also need to able to write a
complete sentence with intent to explain
strategies they are able to use to do their best
learning.

How will you know if your students have prior

knowledge, etc.? How/when will you teach/reteach if necessary?
This lesson provides opportunity to assess and
review the meanings of a human right. Student
brainstorming will be used to gage student
understanding. If students present difficulty
expressing a definition for a human right at the
beginning of the lesson in regards to your right
to an education; I will reteach what a straight is
and how everyones education looks different in
the classroom; because we are all different
learners.

State/National Content Standards (Common Core State Standards)

List the number and full text of each standard that is addressed in this lesson.

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Remember to include content and literacy standards, as appropriate to the lesson.
CCSS.SS. C. 2. Identify similarities and/ or differences between him/ her and others, with detail.
CCSS.SS. F. 1 Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in discussion, regardless of whether one
agrees with other viewpoints.
CCSS.SS. F. 8. Identify rights and responsibilities within the classroom and school.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about,
state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts,
and feelings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
Objectives and Assessments
--Here list the short-range learning objectives specific to this particular learning segment. These
objectives should be items that are immediately observable and easily assessed.
--In addition, you will identify how you will know if the learning objectives have been met. List the
types of assessments you will use to determine whether the objectives have been met. List the types
of formative assessments you will use to monitor student learning of your short-range learning
objectives for this lesson. What assessments will determine proficiency, excellence, or failure to
meet the learning objectives?
--As you consider your assessments, you should think about the kind(s) of feedback your students
will receive from you related to your assessments and how will you expect them to use this
feedback.
Learning Objectives
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessments
The students will be able to What formal and informal
What evidence, by the end of
(Learning outcomes to be
assessments will you use
the learning segment/unit, will
achieved by the end of this
during this lesson to monitor
show that students understand
lesson)
whether your students are
and have met your learning
developing the
objectives?
Every objective should have
understanding/skills required
an assessment.
to meet the learning objective
Note: You might have
you have identified? If you are duplicative assessments, or no
Note: Use as many rows as
using observation as a form of summative assessments, for
you have learning objectives.
assessment, write the
your learning objectives in this
You must have at least one
questions you will use as a
lesson.
objective, but there is no
guide for your observations of
maximum number.
students during the lesson.
Note: Every objective should

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Students will be able to define

equity and equality.

Students will be able to

identify personal learning
needs and be able to compare
their educational needs among
his/ her peers.

Students will be able to

brainstorm ideas about how
students learn differently and
these needs can contribute to
classroom community.

have a formative assessment.

Check point for understanding
fist to five. This will be used
to check if students understand
the definitions/ differences
between equity and equality.
A graphic organizer will be
used for students to draw what
they need in school to learn/
for their education. I will look
for students to honor choices
they make in the classroom
like using an office space or
using headphones. For
instance, an ideal response
would include a drawing as
well as a sentence describing a
strategy an individual uses to
do their best learning. This
could include an individual
using an office space, moving
tables or using headphones.
Students will participate in an
exit ticket asking them to
illustrate and dictate how
different learning needs and
styles contribute to the
classroom community.
*Filling our classrooms
bucketrespecting others
(something already established
in the classroom culture)

If, as a result of the assessments above, students have not met your learning objectives for
this lesson, what strategy/ies will you use to teach/re-teach?
If students have shown difficulty in meeting the above learning objectives I will re-teach the
difference and importance between equity and equality. I will provide definitions of equity and
equality on sentence strips with visuals to have displayed on the board. Equity is the understanding
that we all need different things therefore teachers provide different things for everyone to do their
best learning while equality is our equal opportunity to attend school.

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Academic Language Demands
Language function
Students will need to describe, using a sentence or an
Choose a higher order language illustration, in order to give details regarding a specific strategy
verb (e.g. analyze, evaluate,
individuals use and implement in order to do their best
explain, interpret, describe,
learning within the context of the classroom community (exit
predict, argue, or prove) that
ticket).
students must know how to do in
order to succeed in this lesson.
See your edTPA handbook for
content specific language
function suggestions.
Vocabulary
Students will need to be familiar with graphic organizers.
What skill vocabulary (e.g., Venn Students will need to be familiar with content vocabulary that
diagram, graphic organizer,
consists of equity, equality and human rights.
thesis statement, symbols) and
content vocabulary (e.g.,
imperialism, mitosis, isosceles)
do students need to know in
order to succeed in this lesson?
Discourse
Students will be participating in a whole-class conversation
Discourse is a distinctive
and discussion as well as producing a document and
communication structure and/or illustration explaining their learning needs.
style specific to your discipline
(e.g. lab reports, literary
analysis essays, document-based
arguments, proofs, critiques,
etc.) In what discipline specific
ways do students need to
communicate in order to succeed
in this lesson?
Language supports
How will you help students understand the verbal and written language requirements to succeed in
this lesson? (These should also be included in your step-by-step procedures below.) How will you
help them use Academic Language during this lesson? (Include how you will use students prior
knowledge and your teaching in this lesson to facilitate and deepen student learning.)
For students to better understand verbal and written language requirements I will encourage
students to express their ideas for their right to education using the language to do my best
learning, it helps when I use I will also follow up their ideas using equity and equality to
appropriately match their ideas.
Lesson Procedures: Instructional Strategies/ Learning Tasks
Describe, in detail, the steps you will follow in the lesson, attending to both what you will be doing

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and what the students will be doing. Boldface all procedures where you are monitoring student
understanding using formative assessments.
Time
Step-by-Step Procedures
Opening (Launch)
How will you begin your lesson in a way that motivates and engages students in learning this
lessons content? (Motivation for lessons should be interesting, age-level appropriate, brief, and
directly related to the learning objectives of the lesson.)
The lesson will be introduced by reviewing the previous right the students learned. We will review
by reciting the right all together, using a chorus rehearsal strategy. The right learned prior to this
was the right to health, food, clothing, and housing. I will then introduce todays lesson by reading
the right to education aloud for students as it is written on the sentence strip on our rights bulletin
board (5 minutes).
Procedures
List the next steps of your lesson. Provide detailed description of what teacher and students will be
doing. Boldface those procedures where teacher is monitoring student understanding during the
lesson. (Your planned formative assessments from above should show up In this section as part of
your lesson procedures.) Add rows below as needed.
Write lesson plan procedures so that another teacher could pick up your plans and actually
accomplish your objectives for the class period. The following procedural terms are too vague:
introduce, discuss, and review. How will you introduce something new? How will you organize
discussion, and what questions will you ask? How will you conduct a review? Include specific
questions you will use.
10
1. Students will be prompted to participate in a whole-class discussion about what
min.
they need to learn and for their education. Students will be asked to think about
times when individual work is to be completed; and how they are able to do it.
Do you sit at your table spots, do you sit away from friends, and/ or do you sit at
an individual desk?

5-7
min.

20-25

This discussion asks students to reflect on how they work effectively within the
busy classroom environment. Student ideas and responses will be presented on
chart paper. This will be referred back to throughout the lesson; as students are
asked to complete the graphic organizer as well as the exit ticket.
2. After the brainstorming activity, the students will be given first grade appropriate
definitions of equity and equality (fairness and equal opportunity). This will be
discussed within the context of school. Within the context of school fairness
would include how teachers may treat us in ways that are different but reflect
what we need as individual learners. Where equal opportunity makes reference to
how everyone has the right to come to school, a safe environment, to learn every
day. Students will be asked to repeat the definitions after the teacher to learn and
to be able to apply the definition later.
3. Following the discussion of equity and equality students will be given a graphic

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min.

15
min.

organizer and will be prompted to write/ draw what they need in the classroom to
do their best learning. Students will be encouraged to look at what was previously
brainstormed to complete the graphic organizers.
Word bank might include words like: office space, headphones, and desk.
4. Read aloudThank you, Mr. Falker by Patricca Polacco
Before the read aloud the students will be prompted to keep an eye out for the needs that
are going to be discussed within the story and how these may be similar or different than
our classroom needs. After the read aloud students will have the option to share-out ideas
and be prompted with the question, how can we help our friends do our best learning?

Closure
How will you bring this lesson to closure? How will students reflect on what they learned today,
and how will you prepare them for whats ahead?
In closing, students will be asked complete an exit ticket that prompts students to write how
different learning needs and styles contribute to the classroom community using the question,
how can we act in the classroom in way that help others learn (respectfully)/ concentrate on
learning? Students will be asked to hand this in as it will be used to review and close the lesson.
Students will be asked to participate in a chorus rehearsal of: the right to education and definitions
of equity and equality (8-10mintues).
Inclusiveness
Universal Design
What general features of your procedures and/or assessment help support the learning of all
students by making the lesson appropriate, feasible, and supportive for every student in the class?
Make sure to address each of the 3 major principles of Universal Design (i.e. providing multiple
means of (1) representation, (2) action and expression, (3) engagement).
To support the learning of all students this lesson provides different methods of action and
expression as students will have the opportunity to share out verbally, draw and write out their
thoughts. This lesson provides different methods of representation with added modeling and
examples for our English Language Learners. Various methods of engagement are present within
different areas specific for listening, written and verbal expression.
Students with Specific Learning Needs (to be completed below)
What are some of the specific learning needs possessed by students in your class, and how do your
plans intentionally support these students learning?
IEP/ 504 Plans
Supports, Accommodations, Modifications,
Pertinent IEP Goals
H is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum
H shows difficulty in following multistep
Disorders
directions so a white board checklist will be used
listing the steps of the lesson.
E is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum
E benefits from explicit white board directions
Disorders
especially alongside whole-class discussions.
Specific Language Needs
Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Examples: English Language Learners,

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regional varieties of English
X and Y are English Language Learners

Other Learning Needs

Examples: Struggling readers, English
language learners, gifted students, etc.
El needs supports to stay focused

X and Y benefit from added wait time for

auditory processing but also modeling and
showing visual examples of the task at hand. I
will do this by pointing and holding up
headphones and/ or office spaces as mentioned
by students.
Supports, Accommodations, Modifications

El benefits from extra auditory processing time.

He will also benefit from wait time and visual
examples.

Instructional Resources/Materials
List here the resources you will use to engage students in learning.
Include handouts, slides, supplies, images, grouping plans, manipulatives, equipment, or anything
else that requires advance preparation. Written materials should be attached to this plan.
Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco; graphic organizer; exit ticket; chart paper
Theoretical Principles/ Research-Based Practices
Describe clearly how the theory/research supports your selection of learning activities for this
lesson.
According to Campano (2007) the deepest intellectual resources in classrooms are the students
themselves and one of the most powerful ways students can share their knowledge is to partake in
their own education. While this lesson is surrounded around rights that impact the global citizen it
is important for students to understand individual choices influence individual learning. Where this
increasing diversity within classrooms should be looked at as an opportunity to build and
understand each other in a way that benefits all learners within one classroom community
(Campano, 2007). As an educator it is also important to support student efforts to share to further
validate contributions. This lesson includes time for discussion, although not as specific as a
literature circle, Moller (2002) explains the importance of validating student participants whose
ideas may differ from the majoritys viewpoint or immediate understanding. This is embedded
within this lesson as students are reminded that each person learns differently and different things
work for different people and as educators it is our job to figure out alongside the individual what
can be provided to promote their best learning environment within the classroom.
References
Include here any professional resources from which one or more parts of this lesson plan have
been borrowed/adapted. (If a mentor teacher shared plans, please credit him or her.)
Campano, G. (2007). Honoring student stories. Educational Leadership. 467-470.
Moller, K. (2002). Providing support for dialogue in literature discussions about social justice.
Language Arts, 79(6), 48-50.

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The following questions should be answered after you teach your lesson. Some instructors or
supervisors may ask you to submit these responses separately from your extended-format plan,
so please ask your instructor/supervisor for more detail about expectations for the completion
and submission of lesson reflections.
Lesson Reflection
After the lesson has been taught, write your reflection.
How effectively did I promote a positive learning environment? How do I know?
This lesson asked students to brainstorm ideas of what we need as individuals to do our best
learning at school. The discussion lead into talking about how we are all different and so we all
need different things to help us learn. The students are supportive and understanding to each
other as there are a lot of different needs among their peers in the classroom. Students begin to
brainstorm ideas and suggest things like headphones, office spaces, bean bag chair, green/ blue
cube chairs, as well as using white boards for instructions. Students were excited to share-out
what helps them do their best learning in the classroom; they were eagerly raising their hands to
share-out.
How well did I engage students in learning? How do I know?
This lesson was dependent on student responses and participation. Allowing time for student
voice maintains student engagement especially during a brainstorm activity. Students were also
engaged when learning what were introduced as adult words students identified letters as I
spelled equity and equality on the ENO board. Students were engaged as evidenced by their
eager participation in sounding/ spelling out the words equity and equality on the board as a
whole-class. Student voices filled the room as I spelled out equity one letter at a time. This
allowed time for students to try and guess the word. Students were eagerly sharing out words
that might have looked similar. The same was done with the word equality and students
maintained this level of participation and engagement with the new vocabulary.
How did I elicit and build on student responses to deepen their learning?
After reading Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco students were prompted to think about
if there were any similarities or differences between the classroom in the story and our
classroom. This allowed students to reflect on the prior discussion about what is available in our
classroom. This discussion and opportunity for reflection also kept students thinking about each
student as an individual and how each classroom has different things available to students in
order for them to do their best learning.
What changes would I make to my instruction to improve student learning? Why?
In order to improve student learning I would have the definitions for equity and equality
prewritten on chart paper to reveal to students rather than spending time within the lesson to
write it down as the students patiently wait. The students could have used this time to work on
their graphic organizers as most of them were not able to finish both the drawing and the writing
during the remaining time.
What did I learn about my students learning from my assessments? If I didnt learn what I hoped
to learn from the assessment(s) I used, how would I modify the assessment(s) for next time?
From the assessments I learned that the students were able to appropriately choose and write
about something they do or use within the classroom to do their best learning. As students were

Stathopoulos 17
working and identifying personal learning needs many of them shared what they had chosen with
one another. Students were able to compare choices among peers. Students were able to write a
complete sentence describing what they use along with a picture. The assessment gave me
information that was being targeted by the Common Core State Standards for English Language
Arts. Students were able to produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation
and they were able to add drawings to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts,
and feelings. Students were able to write complete sentences about a specific topic but students
were not able to write about why they chose headphones for example. For next time, I would do a
mini lesson on the importance of supply reasoning to statements/ opinions. From the assessment,
I also learned which students prefer a quieter work space so they use the headphones to better
focus on their work. While other students preferred working at a different table as they felt they
needed more individual space to focus. Overall, I not only learned about the endless options
students have in the classroom to support their learning needs but I also learned about individual
student preferences (see samples of the assessment attached).

Stathopoulos 18

Lesson 3: The right to belong to a country

Name
Lesson Title or Topic

Evangelia Stathopoulos
We Have a Right to Belong to a Country (Human Rights/
Social Justice)
Grade Level
Grade 1
Course Name or Content Area
Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary School Social
Studies
Central Focus of the Learning Segment/Unit
Describe the central focus for the content/skill you will teach in this learning segment/unit. The
central focus should address the important understandings and core concepts/skills you want
student to develop in this series of lessons.
The central focus of this lesson is to introduce students to their right to belong to a country. This
lesson will begin with an introduction to immigration. The discussion alongside the information
provided by parents will prompt students to explore the different countries that our class
represents. The discussion will be expanded into how the United States is a country of immigrants.
A country where different countries are represented by the people who live here. Students will
understand that being American is associated with a country that represents different countries
around the world and we can learn and experience different cultures within our communities.
Context
1. Explain the larger context in which this lesson fits. For example, explain what larger unit
would be going on at the time of this lesson and how this lesson fits into the unit.
2. State the long-range learning objective/s to which this lesson contributes. The long-range
objectives should deal with mastery of knowledge/skills that students will be able to transfer to
real-life situations.
3. Describe the students for whom this lesson has been developed. Consider the personal,
cultural, and community assets of your students.
1. This lesson is going to be taught within the larger framework of human rights/ social justice

Stathopoulos 19
unit. The first grade team has adopted five human rights; this lesson addresses one out of these
five.
2. The long-range learning objectives are that students understand that there are rights that protect
them; to apply knowledge of human rights in becoming advocates for social justice; to apply
knowledge of human rights to develop ideas of interconnectedness, contribution and
community in terms of mutual respect.
3. This lesson has been developed with a diverse group of students in mind. There are a total of
twenty-three students. There are twelve girls and eleven boys in the classroom. There are a
variety of different strengths and needs present in the classroom. There are two students who
have a diagnosed disability who each have individualized education plans. There are six
students who are learning English as a new language who are at various levels of English
proficiency. There a lot of international students and students who have connections across the
world. This lesson emphasizes students individual stories. This lesson provides rich contextual
opportunities to learn from each otherespecially in terms of different countries in comparison
to the United States. The students have a strong focus and desire for learning within the
established positive classroom community.
Prior Knowledge
What knowledge, skills, and concepts must
students already know to be successful with
this lesson?
Students will need to be familiar and be able to
define/ give an example of a right. Each lesson
builds on the knowledge learned previously.
Students are involved in a continuing
conversation about human rights. Students will
need to be familiar with the idea that not
everyone is born in the United States and some
people travel far in order to live in this case, the
United States.

How will you know if your students have prior

knowledge, etc.? How/when will you teach/reteach if necessary?
This lesson provides opportunity within the
opening of the lesson to review the idea of
human rights and what that means to us. If
students seem unclear in understanding that
people who live in the United States may come
from other countries. I will re-teach how people,
even some classmates have traveled to and now
live in the United States. I will invite a student to
share their story if they feel comfortable as a
part of a re-teaching strategy for students to hear
experiences from one another. The lesson also
provides opportunities for students to share-out
personal memories of flying on airplane. This
also provides opportunities for students to shareout parts of their story understanding each of
us has an individual story.
State/National Content Standards (Common Core State Standards)
List the number and full text of each standard that is addressed in this lesson.

Stathopoulos 20
Remember to include content and literacy standards, as appropriate to the lesson.
CCSS.SS. C. 2. Identify similarities and/ or differences between him/ her and others, with detail.
CCSS.SS. F. 1 Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in discussion, regardless of whether one
agrees with other viewpoints.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to
gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4 Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details,
expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
Objectives and Assessments
--Here list the short-range learning objectives specific to this particular learning segment. These
objectives should be items that are immediately observable and easily assessed.
--In addition, you will identify how you will know if the learning objectives have been met. List the
types of assessments you will use to determine whether the objectives have been met. List the types
of formative assessments you will use to monitor student learning of your short-range learning
objectives for this lesson. What assessments will determine proficiency, excellence, or failure to
meet the learning objectives?
--As you consider your assessments, you should think about the kind(s) of feedback your students
will receive from you related to your assessments and how will you expect them to use this
feedback.
Learning Objectives
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessments
The students will be able
What formal and informal
What evidence, by the end of
to
assessments will you use during
the learning segment/unit, will
(Learning outcomes to be this lesson to monitor whether
show that students understand
achieved by the end of
your students are developing the
and have met your learning
this lesson)
understanding/skills required to
objectives?
meet the learning objective you
Every objective should
have identified? If you are using
Note: You might have
have an assessment.
observation as a form of
duplicative assessments, or no
assessment, write the questions
summative assessments, for
Note: Use as many rows
you will use as a guide for your
your learning objectives in this
as you have learning
observations of students during the lesson.
objectives. You must have lesson.
at least one objective, but
there is no maximum
Note: Every objective should have
number.
a formative assessment.
Students will be able to
Check for understanding using a
define immigration.
fist to five checkpoint. This will be
used to check if students
understand the definition being
used for immigrant.

Stathopoulos 21

Students will be able to

identify personal
connections with the
world.

(Immigrant: A person from another

country who travels to live/work in
a new place)
Students will be given a graphic
organizer with space to draw and
write their personal connections to
the world. For instance, I will be
looking for students to draw and
dictate their familial connections
using language like My family is
from China we traveled on an
airplane to get to the United
States.

Students will participate by

sharing out their connections to
the world/ the United States.
Students will be asked to write
their initials on the ENO board,
the map will be projected onto
the board.
Upon completion our class will
have a map titled We belong to
the U.S. and that showcases
all of the different places that
are represented by our
classroom.

*Name sticks will be used to

ensure the participation of all
students.
If, as a result of the assessments above, students have not met your learning objectives for
this lesson, what strategy/ies will you use to teach/re-teach?
If students seem to be having difficulty meeting the learning objectives above I will plan to reteach the concept of immigration perhaps using a Brain-pop video to give students another mode
of receiving this information. Using resources after the video to reinforce the definition and
understanding of global connections.
Academic Language Demands
Language function
Students will describe their familial connections with the class.
Choose a higher order language Students will also have the opportunity to describe global and
verb (e.g. analyze, evaluate,
local connections.
explain, interpret, describe,
predict, argue, or prove) that
students must know how to do in
order to succeed in this lesson.
See your edTPA handbook for
content specific language
function suggestions.
Vocabulary
Students will need to be familiar with graphic organizers.
What skill vocabulary (e.g., Venn Students will need to be familiar with the content vocabulary

Stathopoulos 22
diagram, graphic organizer,
that consists of immigration and traveling to and from
thesis statement, symbols) and
countries and settling in the United Statesa country that
content vocabulary (e.g.,
represents a variety of different countries and cultures.
imperialism, mitosis, isosceles)
do students need to know in
order to succeed in this lesson?
Discourse
Students will participate in whole-class conversation and
Discourse is a distinctive
discussion about having the right to belong to a country but
communication structure and/or also complete a graphic organizer individually regarding their
style specific to your discipline
personal familiar connections to the world.
(e.g. lab reports, literary
analysis essays, document-based
arguments, proofs, critiques,
etc.) In what discipline specific
ways do students need to
communicate in order to succeed
in this lesson?
Language supports
How will you help students understand the verbal and written language requirements to succeed in
this lesson? (These should also be included in your step-by-step procedures below.) How will you
help them use Academic Language during this lesson? (Include how you will use students prior
knowledge and your teaching in this lesson to facilitate and deepen student learning.)
In order to help students understand the verbal and written language requirements I will provide
language prompts (My family has connections with. Or my family is from) when students are
working with the graphic organizer. During discussions students will be prompted to use
immigration as appropriate to the individual and their familys story.
Lesson Procedures: Instructional Strategies/ Learning Tasks
Describe, in detail, the steps you will follow in the lesson, attending to both what you will be doing
and what the students will be doing. Boldface all procedures where you are monitoring student
understanding using formative assessments.
Time
Step-by-Step Procedures
Opening (Launch)
How will you begin your lesson in a way that motivates and engages students in learning this
lessons content? (Motivation for lessons should be interesting, age-level appropriate, brief, and
directly related to the learning objectives of the lesson.)
The lesson will be introduced with a review of the other human rights the students have learned
thus far. The review will include a repetition of the right to health, food, clothing and housing and
the right to education. The right we are going to learning about today is the right to belong to a
country. Students will be asked to repeat it after me. Students will also be asked what they think
immigration is (5 minutes). *The definition provided to students after brainstorming
Procedures

Stathopoulos 23
List the next steps of your lesson. Provide detailed description of what teacher and students will be
doing. Boldface those procedures where teacher is monitoring student understanding during the
lesson. (Your planned formative assessments from above should show up In this section as part of
your lesson procedures.) Add rows below as needed.
Write lesson plan procedures so that another teacher could pick up your plans and actually
accomplish your objectives for the class period. The following procedural terms are too vague:
introduce, discuss, and review. How will you introduce something new? How will you organize
discussion, and what questions will you ask? How will you conduct a review? Include specific
questions you will use.
10 min.
1. Students will be prompted to participate about a discussion of immigration.
Student responses will be presented on the white board. The word immigrant
will be defined for students on a sentence strip. (Immigrant: A person from
another country who travels to live/work in a new place)
20-25
2. Students will be asked to participate in a whole-class discussion about their
min.
personal connections around the world.
We are going to explore the connections we each have to places around the
world including the United States! I am going to use the sticks, so when I call
your name I am going to ask you where your family has connections with the
world. Can someone tell me what I am looking for when I call your name?

15-18
min.

10 min.

As students participate they will be asked to write their initials around the
country their family has connections. For example if a student has connections
to China, they will be asked to write their initials in China but necessarily
location specific.
3. Following the discussion and mapping activity students will be given a
graphic organizer and will be prompted to write a sentence and draw a picture
of their connections from around the world.
The following prompt will be written on the board: My family has
connections to.
4. Read aloudComing to America by Betsy Maestro
The read- aloud will reinforce the students understanding of immigrationhow
wonderful that is and how the United States is a place that represents all different
connections around the world.

Closure
How will you bring this lesson to closure? How will students reflect on what they learned today,
and how will you prepare them for whats ahead?
In closing, students will be asked to recite we have the right to belong to a country. Students will
be asked to share out the right to belong to a country is represented in our classroom (mentioning
all of the different countries we are from). This will allow for time for students to reflect on how
much they can learn about different cultures from our classmates; honoring our different stories

Stathopoulos 24
(5 minutes).
Inclusiveness
Universal Design
What general features of your procedures and/or assessment help support the learning of all
students by making the lesson appropriate, feasible, and supportive for every student in the class?
Make sure to address each of the 3 major principles of Universal Design (i.e. providing multiple
means of (1) representation, (2) action and expression, (3) engagement).
To support the learning of all students this lesson provides different methods of action and
expression as students will have the opportunity to share out verbally, draw and write their
thoughts. This lesson provides different methods of representation providing models/ pictures and
the overall map to reinforce connections around the world. The different methods of engagement
are present as this lesson has areas for listening, written and verbal expression but also kinesthetic
engagement of putting their mark on the We Belong to the U.S. and map.
Students with Specific Learning Needs (to be completed below)
What are some of the specific learning needs possessed by students in your class, and how do your
plans intentionally support these students learning?
IEP/ 504 Plans
Supports, Accommodations, Modifications,
Pertinent IEP Goals
H is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum
H shows difficulty in following multistep
Disorders
directions so a white board checklist will be used
listing the steps of the lesson.
E is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum
E benefits from explicit white board directions
Disorders
especially alongside whole-class discussions.
Specific Language Needs
Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Examples: English Language Learners,
regional varieties of English
X and Y are English Language Learners
X and Y benefit from added wait time for
auditory processing but also modeling and
showing visual examples of the task at hand. The
map will act as the main visual, as each person
will come up and put their initials on a specific
country using a pointer for better accuracy.
Other Learning Needs
Supports, Accommodations, Modifications
Examples: Struggling readers, English
language learners, gifted students, etc.
El needs support to stay focused
El benefits from extra auditory processing time.
He will also benefit from wait time and visual
examples.
Instructional Resources/Materials
List here the resources you will use to engage students in learning.
Include handouts, slides, supplies, images, grouping plans, manipulatives, equipment, or anything
else that requires advance preparation. Written materials should be attached to this plan.

Stathopoulos 25
Coming to America by Besty Maestro; graphic organizer; map of the United States/ World
Theoretical Principles/ Research-Based Practices
Describe clearly how the theory/research supports your selection of learning activities for this
lesson.
This lesson magnifies the right to belong to a country to more of a global appreciation of the
United States being a safe place for people of different countries to be represented. This lesson
provides opportunities to engage students in constructing their own knowledge about their families
in the case of this lesson which has importance for students to be actively involved in their own
education fostering the creating of meaningful connections (Wiggins & McTighe, 1998). It is also
to understand that there are also hidden histories that as educators need to be conscious of to
introduce and discuss with our students. Family stories and experiences is a category of hidden
history as mentioned by Selwyn (2010). Looking at differences as learning opportunities for
students to learn from each other as a way to uncover hidden history creating a deeper
understanding for others. Another important aspect of a classroom community that although there
are differences us we are all able to be with each other and learn alongside and from one another.
References
Include here any professional resources from which one or more parts of this lesson plan have
been borrowed/adapted. (If a mentor teacher shared plans, please credit him or her.)
Selwyn, D. (2010). Chapter 6: Responding to the invitation: Researching hidden history.
Following the thread: Bringing inquiry research into the classroom. NY: Peter Lang.
Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (1998). Chapter 1: What is backward design? Understanding by
design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
The following questions should be answered after you teach your lesson. Some instructors or
supervisors may ask you to submit these responses separately from your extended-format plan,
so please ask your instructor/supervisor for more detail about expectations for the completion
and submission of lesson reflections.
Lesson Reflection
After the lesson has been taught, write your reflection.
How effectively did I promote a positive learning environment? How do I know?
This lesson promoted a positive learning environment as it included a meaningful way for
families to get involved in letting us know where their families have connections with parts of
the United States as well as around the world. Students were asked to come together on the
carpet and spend a couple minutes just looking at the world map and the map of the United
States. Students need a couple minutes to absorb the new materials and/ or images that they
going to be working with during the lesson.
How well did I engage students in learning? How do I know?
This lesson was dependent on student engagement as each student was individually asked where
their family had connections to in the United States and/ or the world. Displaying a map on the
ENO board allowed for a valuable visual as students were engaged in locating countries as
students shared-out. Students were actively listening to their peers. For example, one of our
students is from Israel and many of our students did not know where that was. So it was exciting

Stathopoulos 26
to be able to have the global map projected on the ENO board big enough where the students are
able to see Israel and its relation to the United States. Students were also encouraged to share
experiences. Students were smiling and leaning in and tracking the speaker as their peers were
sharing their experiences one at a time. Two students shared a similar experience about having to
travel for long hours on a plane to get to the United States. Students were listening to each other
as many students asked follow-up questions of their peers like what did you do on the plane or
how big was the plane?
How did I elicit and build on student responses to deepen their learning?
Students were interested to see where their peers had connections to around the world as well as
the United States. One student, from Japan, mentioned that when it is day time in Ithaca that it is
night time in Japan. This sparked a wonderful conversation about how our world is round and as
the earth rotates the sun hits certain countries of the world at a time. The globe was used to show
the students how the world moves and how far away Japan and the United States really are
looking primarily at the east coast. This discussion was brought out within context deepening
student learning about the world.
What changes would I make to my instruction to improve student learning? Why?
During this lesson the students were so engaged in learning about each other and all of the
different familiar connections. As I filled out the world map, Traci was able to fill out the
connections on the United States map. The two maps were very important in order to represent
students who have connections in our states within our country as well as our international
students. In order to maintain student discussions rich within the context of our classroom I
decided the graphic organizer would be better left for another day. Students were asking and
engaging in such rich conversations with one another about their familial connections. I
prioritized student discussion and contributions rather than have students complete the graphic
organizer; I would ideally have had the students complete the graphic organizer as the next days
do now.
What did I learn about my students learning from my assessments? If I didnt learn what I hoped
to learn from the assessment(s) I used, how would I modify the assessment(s) for next time?
If I had more time, I would have been able to learn about individual students better. Many
families had a lot of different connections but it would have been interesting to see if students
individually strongly identified with a particular place without having prefaced what their
caregiver mentioned. The students participated throughout the activity by raising their hands,
listening/ tracking their peers, and asking questions. As each student was asked to share students
were able to identify a personal connection in the United States and/or the world which gave me
valuable information about each student. This can be seen from the pictures taken of the maps
attached. The students were so interested in looking at the maps as well as the read aloud
considering the diversity within our classroom that students were not able to complete the graphic
organizer. It is not that I did not learn what I had hoped from the assessment it is just that the
students did not get the chance to complete the assessment. So, for next time I think I would have
the graphic organizer be something the students complete as part of their do now in the morning
to wrap up what was done yesterday allotting time for rich discussion.

Stathopoulos 27

Lesson 4: The right to gather peacefully

Context:

This lesson is going to be taught within the larger framework of human rights/social justice.
The first grade team has adopted five human rights; this is the forth lesson out of the five.
The long range objectives are consistent throughout the unit plan which includes students to
understand that they have rights that protect them; to apply knowledge of human rights in
becoming advocates for social justice; to apply knowledge of human rights to develop ideas
of interconnectedness, contribution, and community in terms of mutual respect.
This lesson has been developed with a diverse group of students in mind. There are a total of
twenty-three students. There are twelve girls and eleven boys in the classroom. There are a
variety of different strengths and needs present in the classroom. There are two students who
have a diagnosed disability who each have individualized education plans. There are six
students who are learning English as a new language who are at various levels of English
proficiency. The classroom has a mixture of strong personalities that contribute to the
changing tone of the classroom. The students have a strong focus and desire for learning
within the established positive classroom community.

Standards:
CCSS.SS. C. 2. Identify similarities and/ or differences between him/ her and others, with detail.
CCSS.SS. F. 1 Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in discussion, regardless of whether
one agrees with other viewpoints.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about,
state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts,
and feelings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
Objectives:
Students will be able to explore what it means to be peaceful.
Students will be able to develop a working knowledge of the vocabulary gather, respect, and
rights.

Stathopoulos 28
Procedure:

Students will be introduced to the last human right we are going to learn about. The class will
read it together; I have the right to gather peacefully. We will unpack the word gather as it
will be new to a variety of students. Gather in this context means to come together or having
the right to be somewhere with other people.
Students will be encouraged to think about what it means to treat others with respect.
Students will be asked to share-out some ideas. After some ideas are shared, we will do a
read aloud of Alexanders and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.
After reading the book, students will participate in a discussion about what it means to stand
up for yourself when things are challenging/ difficult. Students will also be asked to think of
ways we treat others nicely and with respect.
Students will brainstorm ideas of how we treat each other respect in the classroom and how
we fill each others bucket.

Inclusiveness/ Differentiation:
This lesson incorporates and addresses each of the three major principles of Universal Design
which include providing multiple means of representation, action and expression as well as
engagement. The discussion allows for students to be engaged with what their peers have to say.
The read aloud will allow time for different means of representation of the topic that we are
discussing.
H is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. H shows difficulty following multistep
directions so a white board checklist will be used throughout the lesson.
E is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. E benefits from explicit white board
directions especially alongside whole-class discussions.
X and Y are English language learners and benefit from increased wait time for auditory
processing but also modeling instructions as well as visual representations alongside
instructions/ directions.
Assessment:
The assessment will include a table with a purposeful sample of student names to accumulate
data on how these students work or perhaps do not work cooperatively and if students show
respect to their peers (sitting up, listening, asking/ answering questions, and tracking the
speakerpromoting eye contact).

Stathopoulos 29

Lesson 5: I have the right to live in freedom and safety

Context:

This lesson is going to be taught within the larger framework of human rights/social justice.
The first grade team has adopted five human rights; this is the final lesson out of the five.
The long range objectives are consistent throughout the unit plan which includes students to
understand that they have rights that protect them; to apply knowledge of human rights in
becoming advocates for social justice; to apply knowledge of human rights to develop ideas
of interconnectedness, contribution, and community in terms of mutual respect.
This lesson has been developed with a diverse group of students in mind. There are a total of
twenty-three students. There are twelve girls and eleven boys in the classroom. There are a
variety of different strengths and needs present in the classroom. There are two students who
have a diagnosed disability who each have individualized education plans. There are six
students who are learning English as a new language who are at various levels of English
proficiency. The classroom has a mixture of strong personalities that contribute to the
changing tone of the classroom. The students have a strong focus and desire for learning
within the established positive classroom community.

Standards:
CCSS.SS. F. 1 Demonstrate respect for the rights of others in discussion regardless of whether
one agrees with other viewpoints.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.5
Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts,
and feelings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
Objectives:

Students will be able to work cooperatively to create an image that helps define human rights
and needs to be able to live in freedom and feel safe.
Students will be able to contribute written words as well as drawings to be placed on the
human rights tree.

Procedure:

Students will be introduced to our fifth right, I have the right to live in freedom and safety.
This will be written on a sentence strip and place on our bulletin board with all of the other

Stathopoulos 30

rights. Students will be asked to think about what makes them feel safe in school. This lesson
will be taught and experienced within the context of our classroom as well as school. Student
responses will be written on the ENO board.
An outline of a tree with branches will be pre-made and presented to the students that this is
our base. Each student will do draft sentence answering the question, what makes you feel
safe at school? Teachers will review the draft as students complete a picture to go along with
their sentence. Students will make the appropriate edits to their sentence. Students will then
be asked to glue down their sentence and picture onto a pre-cut leaf or flower to be put on the
branches of the human rights tree. This tree will be hung out in the classroom.
Closing whole-class discussion how these needs relate to freedom and safety within school.

Inclusiveness/ Differentiation:
This lesson incorporates and addresses each of the three major principles of Universal Design
which include providing multiple means of representation, action and expression as well as
engagement. The different means of representation include creating a whole-class tree with
different sentences and images that represent our classroom. Students will be engaged in writing,
drawing, and speaking/ listening tasks throughout this lesson. This lesson involves writing and
drawing allowing for students to be able to express ideas in two different ways.
H is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. H shows difficulty following multistep
directions so a white board checklist will be used throughout the lesson.
E is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. E benefits from explicit white board
directions especially alongside whole-class discussions.
X and Y are English language learners and benefit from increased wait time for auditory
processing but also modeling instructions as well as visual representations alongside
instructions/ directions.
Assessments:

Individual student assessments will include the sentences describing how they feel safe in
school including an illustration.

Stathopoulos 31

III.

Unit Reflection Overview

Upon first learning the elementary school, as a community, was doing a unit on social
justice and human rights I was eager to start planning. The first team adopted five human rights
taken from the declaration of human rights. This gave me framework of how to begin planning
my unit in terms of specific content. The two lessons that I did teach went well. In reflecting and
planning through the rest of the unit I was able to make changes that I think add value to the
lessons which is helpful for future teaching of these lessons or unit.
Teaching first graders about human rights requires some significant scaffolding to ensure
student understanding. As I was planning the lesson regarding the right to education there were
two directions this could have been introduced to students. The right to education could have
been introduced looking back into the history of our country in terms of segregation and reading
The Story of Ruby Bridges. But in review of this lesson, I decided to introduce the right to
education by explaining as individuals we are all different and this relates to how we learn. This
led me to plan and introduce the right to education in looking at differentiated instruction
exposing students to terms like equity and equality. This allowed us, as a class of diverse
learners, to explore difference within the context of our classroom environment. This particular
group of students is so empathetic towards the needs of their peers and is supportive of one
another in the classroom. Knowing this information students were able to brainstorm a variety of
different things used in the classroom to facilitate every ones best learning. This allowed
students to reflect and reconsider each others needs alongside their own acknowledging
differences as positive opportunities to learn from one another. This is a positive, powerful, and
important message key in fostering student understanding of respect. It was interesting to read

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through the graphic organizers which asked students what they need to do their best learning. In
looking through the work there was a consistent pattern. It seemed as though students who wrote
about using headphones were often students who have a lot of unfinished work in their folders.
This is important to consider in terms of buying more headphones or working with students to
create a quieter work time atmosphere within the classroom. This made me think back to my
own second grade classroom where work time was clearly established and once we got settled
our teacher would play some instrumental music. The expectations were explicit that once the
music was on we were to work the whole time until the music stopped and it allowed for a
quieter work period. This would be something to consider introducing and maintaining in the
classroom as part of a work time routine.
The following right I taught was the right to belong to a countryto which I understand
my own biases as a first generation American. This lesson was focused on student participation
and using these opportunities to learn from each other. We were able to learn something new
about each other within the lesson. Through my reflection of teaching this lesson I couldnt help
but think about how this lesson would go in terms of students sharing out personal experiences
if a positive and supportive classroom culture had not previously established. Students hands
were flying up and waving around for their chance to share. This is telling of the established
classroom culture and the security that is felt among the students of their peers and teachers.
As an evolving teacher, through teaching and planning this series of lessons, being
flexible became an important quality. In planning and re-planning after teaching a lesson, things
might have not gone the way you were initially thinking. Everything is dependent of the
children, so being flexible in the plans and using our best teacher judgement to make decisions
about the lessons are important. As I planning the remaining three lessons the more I wanted to

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teach them. Looking back and reflecting on the two lessons that I did teach further informed my
plans for the following lessons within the unit. Overall, it was a valuable experience to be able to
create lessons that implemented strategies learned from our coursework within a social studies
unit.

Graphic Organizer (Lesson 2 and 3): Name: _____________________________

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Exit Ticket (Lesson 2): Name: ____________________________

How do you fill someones bucket?

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Student Artifacts
Lesson 2

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Student A
Student Artifacts
Lesson 2 continued

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Student B
Student Artifacts

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Lesson 2 continued

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Student C
Student Artifacts

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Lesson 2 continued

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Student D

Student Artifacts
Lesson 2 continued

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Student E
Student Artifacts
Lesson 3

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Student Artifacts
Lesson 3 continued

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