Alyssa C. Lieber

Problem:

During the instructional day, most of the minutes are mandated to reading, writing, math, and RTI (Response to Intervention- for both reading and math). The lack of time to teach social studies has been an issue, especially in elementary schools, for many years (Hinde 2005). The implementation of this curriculum project targets both the ELA and Social Studies standards. The cross-curricular unit is based on the author, Shelley Gill. Most of the books Shelley Gill writes are based in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, so the unit targets the 3rd grade social studies standards, in addition to the 3rd grade Common Core ELA standards. The unit incorporates learning about the author, Shelley Gill; includes reading some of her books that are based in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest; and culminates in researching about the Alaska and the Pacific Northwest region in connection to some of the activities mentioned in the books. Creating a project that provides additional exposure to literature, further learning in social studies where daily instructional time is minimal, and have students analyze text along with other sources to respond to higher order thinking questions, would provide a resource that targets a variety of standards and learning goals. This project also allows for the students to form a connection with the places and regions they are studying, rather than studying a place or region around the world with no context for themselves.

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The unit targets the following ELA Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting); CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plot of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series). The unit also targets the following Social Studies Standards: Geography Standard 3: Students will identify types of human settlement, connections between settlements, and the types of activities found in each; Geography Standard 4: Students will use the concepts of place and region to explain simple patterns of connections between and among places across the country and the world.

According to Cory Cooper Hansen, “creating and implementing an author study that encourages a variety of engagements increases the possibility of meeting the needs of multiple learners and deepens the quality of the response” (2006). The unit applies the grounded approach to using technology in the classroom. Following the approach set forth by Judi Harris and Mark Hofer, the technology aspect is chosen last during the planning of instruction (2009). The first step in the grounded tech integration begins with the learning goals. The unit incorporates learning about the author, Shelley Gill; includes reading some of her books that are based in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest; learning about the different topography, climate, and wildlife in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest; and culminates with the students making a presentation about the Alaska and the Pacific Northwest region in connection to some of the facts mentioned in the books and other extension activities.

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