TGC Fellow Unit Template *

Prepared by:
Kaijage
Friendship Chamberlain

School/Location:

Subject: ELA / Special Education Inclusion

Time Needed: 2 weeks

Grade: 7th Unit Title: Homelessness in the World

Unit Summary: Students will investigate the causes of Homelessness in DC and in Tokyo and evaluate
the policies implemented to address the issue of homeless.
Stage 1 Desired Results
ESTABLISHED GOALS:
G1- Students identify the meaning and causes of
homelessness
G2- Students recognize the misconceptions
about the homeless
G3-Evaluate the policies implemented to address
the issue of homelessness in DC and Tokyo
GLOBAL COMPETENCY:
Analyzing perspectives, Communicate Ideas, the
Othering, problem solving and the development
of empathy
RESOURCES: Articles
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/27/35
83324/tokyo-homeless/

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their
learning to(real world purpose)
T1. Investigate the world beyond their
immediate environment.
T2. Recognize Perspectives.
T3. Communicate ideas effectively with a
diverse audience.
Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand
the cultural context of
homeless in dc and

ESSENTIAL
QUESTIONS
What are the
commonalities

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dcpolitics/dc-dramatically-expands-services-forhomeless-families/2015/08/31/0e69223e-4f8311e5-933e-7d06c647a395_story.html

Tokyo.
Students will understand
the reasons for
homelessness are the
same but the services
and policies provided to
homeless are different
depending on the city
and country.

between
homelessness
in DC and the
US?
How is the issue
of
homelessness
addressed
differently in
each city?

Acquisition
Students will know
K1. Specific causes for
homelessness.
K2. Recognize the
misconceptions about
homelessness.
K3. Similarities between
homelessness in DC and
Tokyo.

Students will be
able to
(Skills)
S1. Analyze
various
informational
text sources.
S2. Write a
persuasive
letter to
evaluate the
homeless
policies.

Stage 2 - Evidence
Assessment

Evaluation Criteria (Learning Target or

Student Will Be Able To)

Assessments FOR Learning: (ex: kwl chart, exit

ticket, observation, draft, rehearsal)

--Exit tickets to assess understanding

Journal Swap
Demonstrates students making connections and
making comparisons between DC and Tokyo
Written Expression

--Journal Reflection document ones

thoughts and observations about the growing
homeless population in DC and low population
in Japan
Each student will initially reflect on the first
question, and then they will swap their journal
and share their response with a partner. The
pairs will read each others work and respond
to it, as if they were having a discussion but
a written one.
--Discussion/ Accountable Talk sharing their
perspectives on the misconceptions about
homelessness and similarities between
homelessness in DC and Tokyo

Assessment OF Learning: (ex: performance task,

project, final paper)
--Research other case studies on the reduction of
homelessness
--Provide a variety of solutions to the issue of
homelessness

1)
Research other countries that have
a solid record of reducing homelessness,
or the eradication of homelessness and
provide a 1 page description of the
problem and solutions.
2)
Persuasive letter Students write a

- Public service announcement

http://www.centerdigitaled.com/artsandhumanities
/How-to-Create-the-Perfect-Public-ServiceAnnouncement.html

letter to the Mayor expressing the need to

provide support services for the
homelessness and offering solutions on
how to decrease the growing
homelessness population. Students will
cite the case study in Japan and provide
evidence from other sources to make a
case.
3)
Collaborate with your partner to
create a Public Service Announcement or
Thing link making a solid argument/ claim
describing the urgency of homelessness
and why providing long term services to
assist the homeless population reduce the
homeless population in the future.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction ( Make this a useful outline or summary of your unit,
your daily lesson plans will be separate)
Week One: Students will be introduced to the concept of human rights through the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. Students will explore whether everyone is endowed with certain
inalienable rights such as the right to decent
Housing. Thereupon students will define the meaning of homelessness and discuss stereotypes and
myths people have about the homelessness.
Week Two: Students will understand the cultural context of the homeless in DC and Tokyo. I will
provide a brief map exercise to introduce and explain the location of Japan and then give details on the

economic and cultural importance of Tokyo. Students will understand the reasons for homelessness are
the same but the services and policies provided to the homeless are different depending on the city
and country. Students will communicate with a homeless person in DC and Tokyo to ask questions and
learn about the topic of homelessness through a personal narrative and story.
Week Three: -Teach students how to find reputable online sources to conduct research on the issue of
homelessness. Students will research countries around the world that have a proven track record on
the reduction of homelessness in the respective country.
Week Four: -Students write a letter to the Mayor expressing the need to provide support services for
the homelessness and offering solutions on how to decrease the growing homelessness population.
Students will cite the case study in Japan and provide evidence from other sources to make a case
about the reduction of the homelessness in their city.
Students will compose a Public Service Announcement to address and educate other students about
the problems facing
the homeless and the human right to adequate housing.
*adapted from Understanding by Design Model
TGC FELLOWS UBD Lesson Template
Lesson Title: Homelessness in Dc and Tokyo
Prepared by: Kaijage

Subject: ELA / ELA Special Education Inclusion

Materials Needed: T1. Investigate the world beyond their immediate environment, Recognize Perspectives, and
Communicate ideas effectively with a diverse audience.
Global Competency:
Where is the lesson

Problem solving and the development of empathy

Students identify the meaning of homelessness as a human rights violation and

going?
analyze the Universal Declaration
(Learning Target or
SWBAT)
Hook: Ask students what does a homeless person look like? Can you identify a homeless person on the street? How so? Which one of these individuals are homeless? Look at the
following image: http://cdn.camyx.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/12/homeless-in-sweater-431x550.jpg
and
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/S2UG_yd3wKE/UJibIrp4TPI/AAAAAAAAAC0/19e7y18XFg/s1600/HAYLEY+LEGENDRY+2.JPG
Tell students both are homeless. Then discuss the
stereotypes about homeless and people living in poverty.
End the discussionHuman rights are inalienable rights
endowed to all humans.
Is adequate housing a human right?
Equip:
On padlet.com Post your response to the question and
explain your reasoning.
Discuss student responses.
Students will read excerpts from the Universal Declaration
of human rights.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 U
Everyone has the right to a standard of living
adequate for the health and well-being of himself and
of his family, including food, clothing, housing and

of Human Rights.

Tailored Differentiation
Scaffold articles to address differing reading levels
for varying readers
Provide sentence starters and close reading
strategies to address struggling readers and writers

medical care and necessary social services, and the

right to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack
of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Students will analyze the quote and explain its meaning in
visual manner on a poster chart.
Rethink and revise:
Students will watch the Ted Talk video and take notes on
the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDgIVseTkuE
Students will work in groups of four and will be given local
scenarios of someone who is homeless. Students will create
a Thinglink expressing which human rights are being
violated and what being homeless looks like over 24 hours.
Last bulleted point should provide options for how to seek
housing in the city of DC.
Evaluate:
Students will be evaluated on their Thing link
presentations.
Notes:
The last scenario allows students to build empathy and
think about how homeless live and survive on a daily
basis. Students will explore whether everyone is
endowed with certain inalienable rights such as the right
to decent
Housing.

Organization: