Urban, Suburban, or Rural

Second Grade, Third Grade Writing, Social Studies, ESL

by Susan Russell September 23, 2015

Students will have a blast as they engage in interactive projects to learn about the characteristics of urban,
suburban, and rural communities. This lesson will help them develop both their writing and social-studies skills.

Learning Objectives

Students will identify and categorize the characteristics of rural, urban, and suburban communities

Materials and Preparation Key Terms

Chart Paper communities

Pictures of urban, rural, and suburban urban
communities rural
White paper suburban
Markers

Introduction (15 minutes)

Begin your lesson by introducing the vocabulary words and discussing the definition of each term. Display
pictures of each type of community.
Students’ background knowledge will impact their understanding of the terms. Start your introduction of
the terms by selecting the term that identifies the type of community they live in.
After discussing the first term, continue discussing each vocabulary word as a whole group.
Ask for student input for each vocabulary word. All definitions should include the information that helps
identify the community and explains where people work, live, and play within that community.
Check for understanding after all the vocabulary words have been reviewed and discussed.
EL

Beginning: Have ELs turn to a partner to repeat the definition of community, either in English or their
home language (L1). If needed, provide the sentence stem: "A community is __."

Intermediate: Have ELs turn to a partner to repeat the definition of community.

Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling (15 minutes)

Prior to the start of the lesson, create a three-circle Venn diagram that can be displayed where all
students can see it. Label the circles with the following titles: urban, rural, and suburban
Ask for student input as you explore by comparison and contrasting how the three different communities
(urban, rural, and suburban) are the same and different.
Fill out the circles and then use the diagram as an anchor chart in the classroom when completed.

EL

Beginning: Provide sentence frames for student input. For example: "I know our community is
(rural/suburban/urban) because ___."

Intermediate: Provide sentence stems for student input. For example: "A rural community has _____."

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Guided Practice/Interactive Modeling (10 minutes)

Have students create a three-column T-chart on lined paper. Students will write the following headings
above the columns: rural, urban, and suburban
Create the same three-column T-chart on chart paper. Place your chart in a spot that is visible to all
students
Begin by asking for student input to add information to the columns regarding where people live, work,
and play in each community.
Encourage students to make simple pictures on their charts to illustrate the different examples of each
community.
Check for student understanding of the unique features of each community.

EL

Beginning: Pair ELs with sympathetic non-EL and have them discuss features of each type of
community.

Intermediate: Ask ELs to repeat directions to show their understanding.

Independent Working Time (15 minutes)

Hand out a piece of white paper to each student.

Ask students to each draw a circle that has a diameter that is approximately four inches in the center of
their paper.
Your students will be creating a diagram with the use of three circles to illustrate the aspects of each
community type.
The circles will be within each other to demonstrate the progression from urban to rural.
Ask students to draw another circle that has a diameter of approximately three inches inside the first
circle.
Have them draw another circle outside the first circle. This one should have a diameter of approximately
5 ½ inches.
Students should label the inner circle "urban," the middle circle "suburban," and the outer circle "rural."
Discuss with students how the progression from urban to suburban to rural occurs in communities.
Have students add words and phrases to each circle that describe how people live, work, and play within
that specific community. They should also describe the type of transportation available in each
community.
Collect papers once students have finished working.

EL

Beginning: Allow ELs to continue working with a partner to complete their diagrams.

Allow students to use sentence frames. For example: "A word that describes an urban community is ____
because ____."

Intermediate: Allow intermediate ELs to use sentence stems about each community type. For example:
"A suburban community is ___."

Differentiation

Enrichment: Challenge advanced students by asking them to create a community of the future. They may
select the type of community they are most interested in and then write about how it would look in the future.
Encourage them to include illustrations of their futuristic communities. Support: Have struggling students work
in pairs to complete the Independent Working Time activity.

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/

Technology Integration

EL

Beginning: Translate difficult vocabulary into EL's home language using an online bilingual dictionary.

Intermediate: *Use rewordify.com to simplify text from the City Mouse, Country Mouse.

Related Books and/or Media

BOOK: City Mouse, Country Mouse by John Wellner

Assessment (10 minutes)

Review students' work, and check for in-depth understanding of the dynamics of each community.
Provide written feedback for students on all papers.

EL

Beginning: Provide oral directions in simplified sentences and ask them to repeat the instructions.

Intermediate: Allow students to explain their work orally as you review work.

Review and Closing (10 minutes)

Hand back students' work, and give the students time to read your feedback.
Ask for volunteers to share what they wrote with the class.
Review the definitions of the key terms.

EL

Beginning: Provide sentence frames for ELs turn to their partner and use urban, rural, and suburban in
context.

Intermediate: Provide sentence stems for ELs turn to their partner and use urban, rural, and suburban
in context.

Get more lesson plans at https://www.education.com/lesson-plans/