2- Integrated Thematic Mini Learning Segment Assignment

ELED 3330 Integrated Thematic Mini Learning Segment Assignment

Purpose:
According to the National Council of Social Studies (NCSS), powerful and authentic social studies should be active, challenging, integrated, meaningful, and value-based. The purpose of this assignment is to plan and implement a mini learning segment that incorporates these five qualities of social studies with a special emphasis on the quality of integration. For this assignment, then, you will integrate social studies related content and skills with other subject matter content and/or skills in a three-lesson mini learning segment. You will craft this mini-learning segment into one Power Point or Word presentation. Planning an integrated learning segment will give you practice with a planning strategy frequently used by elementary teachers.

Description of Assignment:
A thematic learning segment is a series of lessons organized around a central focus. The thematic learning segment you design will comprise a sequence of three lessons that cohere to a unifying topic. The three lessons will include an introductory lesson, a conclusion lesson, and one other substantive lesson. Each lesson will include a different lesson strategy for teaching the content. Examples of different strategies include: bulletin board quests, children’s literature, creative dramatics, field trip (or virtual field trips), games, graphic organizers, guest speakers, inquiry, interactive websites, investigating primary documents, learning centers, reader’s theater, simulation, etc.
The theme you choose for your learning segment needs to be specifically related to social studies (i.e., Texas State History). The assignment’s main objective is to practice integrated planning with a variety of different strategies.

The way the Assignment will be graded:
Your mini learning segment plan should contain all the sections and elements listed below. Each element is elaborated. Use the same font throughout your learning segment. Spelling, grammar, neatness and general organization count in the assessment of the overall quality of this assignment. Your mini learning segment will be due by or before the final exam date____________. You will upload your mini learning segment plan in one Power Point or Word document to the Mini learning segment dropbox on our D2L site.

Template for Power Point or Word Document

Your mini plan will include the following sections and elements:

1. A mini learning segment plan cover sheet that has the following details:
Title of mini learning segment
Intended grade level
Key words: Identify which of the 10 NCSS themes your mini learning segment plan addresses
Your name
ELED 3330
Semester, Year

2. Abstract/description of your mini learning segment plan: Write a paragraph long (3-4 sentences) description of the learning segment’s central focus and content. The description should focus on the goals of the learning segment, and not just list the individual lesson plans. The description should also briefly explain how the fulfills at least one (or more) of the five qualities of social studies: active, challenging, integrated, meaningful, and value based.

Also, write about the social studies content (or the integrated content) of your mini learning segment plan. Specifically address the following questions: What is the content that you will be teaching throughout the mini learning segment? Explain whether the content is social studies specific or if it is integrated within another subject matter area. Describe the vocabulary needed to support the learning segment.

3. Daily lesson plans ~ three all together: In this section, you will include three daily lesson plans from a template. The first plan should be your introductory lesson, then the middle lesson plan, and finish this section with the final lesson plan for the learning segment. You should use the lesson plan template to organize your lessons plans.

Learning Segment Topic:
Central Focus:

[ ] State-Adopted Content Standards [ ] Learning Objectives Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks Formative and Summative Assessments
Lesson 1 [ ] [ ] [ ] Lesson 2 [ ] [ ] [ ] Lesson 3 [ ] [ ] [ ]

4.Assessment Example and Rubric: You will pick one day for students to complete an assessment. Please submit the assessment in the form of the math example below(you will be doing social studies).

The directions that I gave orally to my students are typed below: “Now that we have reviewed how we can identify coins based on their attributes, the value of each coin, and the 3 strategies we can use to count a group of coins, it is your turn to test your own knowledge and complete this data sheet all by yourself. As you can see, each item has a price tag hanging off it! It is you job to color in the correct amount of coins you would need to buy it. So, for example, the first item is a beachball that costs 10 cents. I would use my crayon or colored pencil, to shade in the coins that would get me to 10 cents. Please do not use marker on this! Remember, this is an assessment so I cannot help you on it. Take your time and do your best!” Please see the blank copy of the chosen formative assessment on the following 2 pages. The front side is the first picture, and the back side is the second picture.

6. Appendices: In the appendices, include any graphic organizers, handouts, copies of student created artifacts, or images/pictures of lesson artifacts from your mini learning segment plan.

7. Bibliography: Include an APA formatted bibliography of books and other resources for students and references for the teacher, including the URL of any websites used. Before submitting, you should save your mini learning segment the following way: firstname_lastname_minilearning segment.doc (or docx).