Worksheet: Drafting the Field-based Lesson

Unpacking the Standards

Type the GLCE(S) you will teach for your field based lesson:

C1 Purposes of Government
Explain why people create governments.
K – C1.0.1 IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN REASONS FOR RULES AT HOME AND IN
SCHOOL.
(e.g., provide order, maintain safety).

 Underline content
 Circle Verbs

Pre-Planning: Building Content Knowledge

Use the suggested resources on the syllabus to learn about your GLCE. Example: Stuff I
Missed in History Class Podcast and the NCSS publication Social Studies and the Young
Learner. List the useful resources here.

Ley, R., & Alleman, J. E. (2012). Meaningful Homework: A Study of Government

that Utilizes the Broader Community. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 24(3), 17-22.

 [Link]
homework-study-of-government-that-utilizes-broader-community
 This resource helped me create a meaningful assignment fro students that build on
knowledge and that they know. I learned how to make the content engaging for
students through the use of text and other resources. I also found ideas on how to
connect this lesson to the broader community though this resource.

Cole, B., & McGuire, M. (2012). Real-world problems: Engaging young learners in
critical thinking. Social Studies and the Young Learner, 24(4), 15-17.

 [Link]
problems-engaging-young-learners-in-critical-thinking
 This article was a useful tool for me while I was thinking about how to make this
lesson active for students. Critical thinking can be taught. Although these students
are you, pushing them to think about the evidence behind why their rules matter
was what I really wanted them to achieve. This article helps me come up with
 teacher moves on how to challenge, engage, and push students to think more
critically.

Hunter, K. A. 2017 Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year. NCSS.
Retrieved from 1 [Link]
kathryn-hunter

 [Link]
 This article helped me to understand how impactful children can
be to making changes in the world. My lesson was based on
civics, but students were not making large-scale changes.
However, rules are important to the classroom. This helped me
see how I could teach students about the rules of the classroom
more in depth to encourage students to make a change for the
classroom organization and dynamic.

Informational Text: “Local Government” by Ernestine

Giesecke
 This book was useful to help me understand the different roles of
people involved in the local government. It also helped me to
explain to the students how the local government plays a role in
our lives. Different organizations do different things, just like
different people in the class have different jobs for the day to help
the class stay safe and organized.

Children’s Book: “Officer Buckle and Gloria” by

Peggy Rathmen
 This book is for children to see the use of rules in text. The police
officer in the book has specific rules that he goes to schools and
discusses. This opens up discussion for why we have rules. The
dog, Gloria, is pictured not following the rules and students are
able to visually see the consequences of not following important
rules. This text is student friendly and engaging.

Use these resources to list the content related to the GLCE that students should to know.
  Students will be able to explain the importance of rules (safety, justness, promote
learning, etc.)

Identify common patterns from the themes above:

 The content above can be related on different scales. The government is a large-
scale system for rules, but thinking about rules in the classroom is a smaller and
more tangible scale that is student friendly.
 Stage 1: Desired Results
Why Do We Have Rules?

Use the common patterns to draft Big/Powerful Ideas:

 Rules and laws keep us safe

 Rules help us learn

Draft Essential Questions that focus on purpose (why) and process (how):

 Why do we have rules?

 How do the rules in place impact the community?

Draft Objectives:
Students will be able to…
 Describe the importance of rules in different settings.
 Create your own rule and explain its importance.

What do students need to know and do to be able to answer the essential question?

 Why we have rules and laws

 Who makes rules
 What rules do for the community?

Content: Skills:
Students will be able Students will be able
to… to…
 Explain why we have rules  Use the content to recognize and
 Describe the importance of rules for a follow the rules of the classroom
community

Rationale:
Meaningful This lesson was meaningful because
 students got to pick their own rules. This
allowed students to take ownership over that
rule. The drawing also made the rule more
meaningful because students were able to
represent the rule in a way that is
meaningful to them.
Integrative I read the students a story and they had to
work on writing as a way to incorporate
literacy. The drawing also incorporated
visual arts and motor skills.
Value-Based This lesson was value-based because rules
are important for the function of the
classroom dynamic. Students place value on
the rules of the classroom and home. They
try to follow them and now they know more
about why the rules are in place.
Challenging I challenged the students to think of a
different rule than the one I modeled. This
made students “stretch their brains” and
problem-solve.
Active Reading the story and having a discussion at
the beginning of the lesson kept students
engaged while on the carpet. After the
transition to their table spot, having students
think about a reason behind their rule was
engaging for them as well.
 Stage 2: Knowing your students and learning environment

Classroom Overview

 Kindergarten at Discovery Elementary located in Williamston, MI

 22 students
o 12 males
o 10 females
 There are no minority races in the classroom. All of the students are white.
 All students speak English as their primary language
o I asked my mentor teacher about the languages spoken in the classroom and
she said to her knowledge, all of the students speak English at home.
 Special Needs
o There is one student on the Autism Spectrum. He is in a special education
classroom most of day, but he has been integrated into the mainstream class
in the mornings. The rest of the students have adjusted well to this change.
 Students with financial needs
o I know of at least 2 students participate in a program through the school in
which they bring food back to their homes.
 Jewish student
o One student shared that in December they celebrate Hanukkah with their
family. Most students expressed that they celebrate Christmas, so this was
an interesting difference among the students.
 At the beginning of the year there were:
o 6 students tested below grade level
o 10 students tested at grade level
o 6 students tested above grade level
 The assessments are conducted by my mentor teacher
 Different assessments are done weekly to keep up on student
progress
 The class is very chatty, but for the most part, they are on task. Sometimes the
movement in the classroom seems chaotic, but this is how this group of students
learns.

Who are my students?

  Behavioral Students
o The “behavioral students” are students who need extra reminders to
follow directions or stay on task. These students can be below, at, or
above grade level. Typical behaviors of these students would include
not sitting in their assigned carpet space, shouting out, not following
directions, and interrupting while others are talking. These students’
typical behaviors often lead to distracting those around them. This can
be in combinations with the “high needs students.”

 High Needs Students

o The “high needs students” are students that were tested below grade
level. These students need extra attention and help to identify
vocabulary, letters, words, and numbers. I would not say that the “high
needs” group does not typically participate in the group discussions
unless asked specifically by the teacher. Because they need extra help,
they often distract others because they do not want to do the work in
class. I have noticed that my mentor teacher has made specific choices
in her partner groups, so that the “high needs students” are pained with
someone who can help them learn, like middle-high “advanced learner
students.” With this in mind, I will check in on these students more
throughout the lesson and have them talk to their knee-to-knee partner to
learn more about the subject or just get a new perspective.

 Advanced Learner Students

o The “advanced learner students” are students that were tested at or above
grade level. These students excel in all content areas. They also rarely
need reminders to stay on task and enjoy participating in discussions.
These students are helpful to those around them by listening respectfully
and infrequent shout outs. I have noticed these students think spell and
sound out words without much help. I will utilize these students to
socialize with those students around them and start the discussion.

Who are my students? What linguistic, social, and academic resources and
supports will I incorporate into my lesson?
Behavior Students Linguistic: I will utilize the name sticks in the classroom
to promote participation in students with behavioral
distractions.

Social: These students have a carpet space near the

instructors spot. This will help me to get them more
engaged in discussions with classmates.

Academic: During group work, I am hoping to pair these

students with grade level or above grade level students
to lead help.
High Needs Students Linguistic: I will utilize the name sticks in the classroom
to promote participation in students with higher needs.

Social: I am hoping during instruction as a whole group,

I can have some pair discussion with students “knee-to-
knee” partner to promote input from the high needs
students.

Academic: During group work, I am hoping to pair these

students with grade level or above grade level students
to lead help in areas that these students are not confident
in.
Advanced Learner Linguistic: I will utilize the name sticks in the classroom
Students to create opportunities for all students to share, but still
allow advanced learners to share out.

Social: I will pick these students to share their ideas

during discussion so others can make a connection. It is
important for me to not exclusively call on these
students.

Academic: In pairings, I really look for these students to

lend their knowledge to their classmates to help the
learning of both students.

Possible Assessments
 Formative Assessment:

o Walk around and look at the rules students are writing on the worksheet
o Asking questions during the read aloud, like:
 What rules did you notice?
 What do you think about that rule?
 Why were those rules important?

 Summative Assessment:

o I will have a worksheet for students to fill out where they create their
own rules. The picture should match the rule.
o Students will also share why their rule is important. I will be looking for
answers that promote safety and learning.
 Stage 3: Learning Plan

Components Teacher Activity Student Activity

Opening I have a book from my mentor Give a thumbs up to indicated they
(engagement teacher called “Officer Buckle are ready for the lesson
and tapping and Gloria” by Peggy
into prior Rathmen. This book is an Students should interact with the
knowledge) opening for a discussion book and look to participate in the
about rules. discussion about rules.

Make sure to emphasize Raise a quiet hand to share an idea:

respectful listening and
using hand signals instead In response to what rules they
of shouting out to help noticed:
others learn.  “Always travel with a buddy”
“Always clean up spills”
“Give me a thumbs up if you can
In response to who makes the
be a respectful listener and help the
friends around you learn” rules:
 “Officer Buckle makes the rules”
Address behaviors that are  “My mom and dad make the
distracting to others, like rules at home”
talking or invasion of space.  “Mrs. Emmons makes the rules
at school”
Ask students what they
think about the rules in the In response to the rules in the
book and what they noticed. classroom:
Ask for new ideas.  “listen respectfully”
Ask students who they think  “follow directions”
makes the rules, and then
the in book and in real life.
Ask students about the
rules in the classroom.
Development Ask students to give examples of Talk with knee-to-knee partners
(detailed rules. about what they think rules are/do
activities Who makes the rules? for a community.
including Why do we have rules?
questions,
transitions, Talk to previously assigned knee- “Rules keep us safe”
scaffolding, to-knee partner about rules; what “Mrs. Emmons makes the rules for
 and rules do for us, why do we have the classroom”
assessment) rules, who makes the rules? “Police make the rules”
Tell me what you and your partner “Rules help us learn”
talked about!
Share a rule they remember from
Model the worksheet on the the book for me to model:
document camera with student  “No running in the halls”
input.  “Always clean up spills”
 Point to the name spot,  “Never go swimming in an
“what should I put here?” electrical storm”
 “What was one of the rules
Officer Buckle talked In response to what goes in the
about?” box:
 Call on a student to tell me “A picture goes in the box!”
a rule and write the rule in
the fill in the blank. Students will go back to their
 Ask the class why that rule assigned table spot and work on
is important their worksheet using a writing
 Point to the box and ask pencil to write words.
students what they think
should go there Students will be making up a rule
 Leave the worksheet up on and have a justification to go along
the document camera for with it. This will promote creative
students to reference thinking as well as provide an
assessment.
Transition students to carpet by
releasing the color row groups Students will do the handout
independently at their tables.
Give students a worksheet with a Share the sentence with me when
area to draw a picture and a fill in they are complete, so I can
sentence “My rule is _______ and annotate their writing and make
it is used to ______” sure they understood the lesson.

Students will share their sentence

with a picture to go along with it

Students will share their rule and

its significance with me as a form
of assessment.
Closure Pull a couple sticks to let students Some students will share their
(wrap up) share their rules and the purpose. work so we can see patterns in the
 Then discuss to reiterate why we purpose of rules.
have rules.
In response to connection of rules:
“Do you see any connections  “My rules was the same as
between your rule and the friends this students rule”
who shared?”  “I think my rule is like this
students rule because they
Ask students again “why we have both help us stay safe”
rules?”
Student response:
 “To keep us safe”
 “to keep others safe”
 “to make sure nothing gets
broken”
 “to helps us learn”

Materials “Officer Buckle and Gloria” Writing pencils

Needed by Peggy Rathmen Coloring tools
 hyperlink to read
aloud of the book
Worksheet
 hyperlink to the assessment
Part 4: Post Teaching Reflection
 Student Learning
Explain how students met the content goals and objective?
Students were able to meet the content goal and objective by identifying and
explaining reasons for rules at home and in school. They were able to find the rules from
Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmen and tell me why those rules were important.
Students could also identify rules in the classroom like kind, safe, cooperative, and
respectful. The book helped students visually see what would happen if the rules were not
followed. My mentor teacher reiterates rules everyday to students, so they do have
background knowledge about this topic. I really tried to push students to think about the
rules in the story and in the classroom. For the assessment, I urged students to come up
with their own rules. They chose rules in different settings like school, home, and in the
community. Overall, we saw a common theme among the student’s rules. We learned that
rules really help to keep us safe.

Explain how the students met the skill goals and objectives?
Students were able to meet the skill goals and objective of using the content to
recognize and follow the rules of the classroom. To help students meet the objectives, I
directed them to discuss with knee-to-knee partners about classroom rules and how they can
show that they can follow them. This allowed students to see a different view and come up
with rules they did not think of independently.
Some students discussed the classroom rules in their assessment, too. Every student
had a reason for picking the rule they did, whether it was personal or something they recall
from home or the classroom. For the rest of the day, students told others who were acting
out to follow the rules because it keeps us safe.

This student told me that her rule was “no running with a scissor” because you can
poke yourself if you run with something sharp. This is an example of how the skills of
using the content to recognize and follow the rules of the classroom were achieved.
What values did students learn as a result of your unit?
Rules have obvious value in all settings. The students learned how meaningful rules
are, specifically to a classroom. I think it is important that they know the “whys” behind
the rules in effect because they are more likely to follow them and help others to follow the
rules as well. I also think the book choice was valuable to student learning because the dog,
Gloria, was acting out what happened when the rules were not followed. Rules are
important for safety and learning, and the students understood this.
Self Reflection of Teacher Learning
What did you expect to happen in this lesson?
I expected this lesson to go well. The students are, overall, pretty well behaved. I
thought there would be more participation from the students. They really emphasized the
safety aspects of the rules, but not so much the learning environment. I expected them to
think about both parts because it is such an important part of the classroom culture.
What went as predicted?
 I predicted that the students would be more engaged with this lesson though the use
of text. When I borrow the book from my mentor teacher, some students expressed that
they love this book! This made me more excited to read it to them and I knew that they
would be attentive. I also predicted that students would talk about how mom and dad made
rules at home, but we kept the lesson to the classroom scale. We did not go to the rules at
home during the discussion. Mostly the lesson went as I thought. The majority of students
were actively participating in the discussion and activity.
What surprised you?
I was surprised at how many different rules the students came up with. A lot of
them were really into this lesson and thought of rules that are meaningful to them either at
home or in school. One student said their rule was “no teasing” because it hurts feelings.
Another student’s rule was “no spilling” and his picture was someone cleaning up a spill.
A safety tip from the book was “always clean up a spill before someone slips.” I would
classify this student as a “high needs student” and a “behavioral student,” so to see this
assessment showed me how engaged he was with the text. The students overall surprised
with their attentiveness and
What were the strengths or the lesson?
I think the strengths of this lesson were that it was meaningful and value-based for
the students. They made connections to Officer Buckle’s rules and the classroom rules, like
no running and being kind and safe to others. I tried to read the book with expression and
in a clear voice to keep students attention and get them thinking about the safety tips, which
my mentor teacher noted that I achieved. Then, students had a chance to express their
thoughts about why rules are important and what they can do to follow rules. I think the
topic of rules kept a lot of students thinking about how they can show me they can follow
rules. Thus, the behavior was pretty good.
Another strength of this lesson was that students could interact with different sized
groups, whole group, small group, and one-on-one. This helps diverse learners get a
chance to engage in a way that is more comfortable to them. I also asked to share an idea
that your partner had, so students had to think about what someone else said. This
emphasized respectful listening.
What weakness existed in your lesson and what would you do to address these weaknesses?
I think a weakness of this lesson was that the directions were not as clear to them as
they were to me. I could have explained more about how I wanted them to pick a different
rule than the one I picked. I did mention this once during the modeling by saying “this is
the rule I chose, you have to chose something else.” However, I should have reiterated this
point throughout the assessment because students still chose the same one that I modeled. I
could have asked a follow up question to my statement, like “are you going to chose the
same rule that I did?” and have students answer back, just so I know they listened and
understood what I asked of them.
Another aspect of the directions I needed to elaborate on was the picture section.
Students knew that space was for drawing, but they did not know if they should draw
someone breaking the rule or following the rule. I did not really have any specific
guidelines in mind for their picture space, but it could have been scaffolded more to better
reach the objectives.
One thing I want to work on for the future is redirecting behavior that is distracting
to others. My mentor teacher pointed out in her feedback form, one of the female students
lying down as I was reading the story, which then was distracting the students around her. I
did not redirect her to sit up during the story. She did return to sitting back in her carpet
spot when the book was done. However, having a student lying down impacted the
learning of those around her. Especially with this being a rules lesson, I think it could have
been used as a teaching moment to redirect her behavior. For next time, I want to pay
attention to distracting behaviors and use strategies familiar to students to redirect the
behavior.
What else did you learn about the topic, your students, the curriculum or teaching?
Overall I think this lesson was challenging, active, and meaningful for students.
Although there are things I would like to change for the future, there was a lot of good of it
too. My mentor teacher noted that the topic was really connected to the classroom norms.
Since this class does not have a social studies curriculum, I wanted to keep the standard
within the realm of connectivity. This topic is even a good warm up lesson at the beginning
of the school year to introduce classroom rules and norms. Then students will have an idea
about why rules are in place and how they effect the class.