My Community and Me

Grade One Social Studies

Mini Inquiry Unit Plan

Zoë Bracken
December 9, 2019
 Unit Introduction
Rationale
The purpose of the unit is to provide an understanding and foundation of what community and
responsibility is for students. This is important as these concepts are continued throughout the
year and in future grades. As students understand who they are, the people and places around
them, and their responsibilities within this context, it will benefit them with making connections
to identity and citizenship. My goal is for students to become more curious and open-minded as
they learn about themselves, the students around them, and other diverse perspectives within the
community. This unit addressed the core concepts of citizenship and identity through the
interrelationships of individual responsibility and community. In the program of studies it states,
“Learning about the well-being, growth, and vitality of the diverse groups to which they belong
will help to build the foundations of active and responsible citizenship.” Students have the
opportunity to explore themselves and sense of place by investigating the concept of identity in
relation to their community. Developing individual and collective identity will help encourage
recognition of a pluralistic society and allow for inclusive, democratic, and respectful active
citizenship.
Early childhood education is based on the foundation of relationships and multiple perspectives;
self, others, school, community, and the world. This inquiry unit incorporates multiple
perspectives by learning about perspectives in the classroom and communities they each belong
to. “To build understanding of social studies concepts, young children need opportunities to
engage in extended investigation of topics of interest, drawing on a variety of materials that offer
multiple perspectives and foster classroom communities built on inclusive and democratic
values” (Kimberly Villotti & Ilene Berson, 2019). Because this unit offers a variety of
opportunities to engage in the content (oral, visual, written), it allows the students to understand
their own perspectives and respectfully explore perspectives within the classroom. Bringing in
information in a variety of forms (models, video, puppets) promotes learning through a variety of
mediums.
To what extent am I responsible for my community? This question allows for students to explore
important vocabulary in relation to themselves. While learning about themselves, they also are
exposed to the many diverse perspectives within the classroom. This unit is framed by the
question because it begins the conversations at the beginning of the unit, deepens the
understanding throughout the unit through research and curiosity, and is the basis of the
performance task attached to this unit. This question is open-ended and gives students the
opportunity to explore opinions, perspectives, and their own identity while developing active
citizenship.
Development of Skills

Critical Thinking
A main skill that students will develop throughout this unit is critical thinking. Critical thinking
is an important skill to build because it allows students to “actively and skilfully conceptualize,
apply, analyze, synthesize, and/or evaluate information gathered from, or generated by,
observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action”
(Jennifer Wilson Mulnix, 2012, p. 465). Students will be thinking critically and creatively
throughout the unit, specifically when they gather information from a variety of sources, i.e.
people, books, media, etc. I will bring in relevant artifacts (symbols, logos, landmark models) to
share with the class and this will help students make reasoned judgements about a perspective
based on their opinions from facts. This allows students to broaden their understanding of the
content and define what their own responsibility is and what community means to them. The
student’s performance task will allow them to make connections to themselves and their
communities and also allow them to view many different perspectives within the classroom.
They will think critically by making a reasoned judgement based on their collected research and
information as to why their individual identity is important to the collective identity and vice
versa. We will explore critical thinking in a variety of ways but explore it mostly in discussion-
based learning. Students will have the opportunity to participate in many group discussions,
student-led activities, and reflection to allow for them to make reasoned judgements.
Critical Thinking Activities
• Brainstorming - webs
• Analyzing - artificats
• Classifying - Attribute Linking
• Barometer – This or That
• Conversations – (see group discussions sheet)

Geographical Thinking
Another major skill explored in this unit is geographical thinking. Geographical thinking allows
for students to go beyond the content and develop a sense of place. When learning about
community, developing a sense of place is essential in order to make meaningful connections to
the material. Students will understand where Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and their
neighbourhood is in relation to themselves. Geographical thinking explores the interrelationships
between systems and in this unit we explore the interconnectedness between individuals and the
collective. It allows students to develop a deeper understanding of the connections between the
individual and the collective and how they impact one another. Students will accumulate this
skill through identifying the many groups they belong to, the benefits from each group, the
communities they are apart of, and recognizing the many perspectives within their own
communities.
Research and Information
Throughout this unit, students will engage in expressing their own experiences and respectfully
learn about other perspectives to come to a reasoned judgement in their own understanding of
what their responsibility in the community is. Through investigating a variety of perspectives
through different mediums, they will recognize and appreciate the cause and effect relationships
between themselves and the community. Students will gather information from magazines,
newspapers, artifacts, pictures, models, etc. Having a variety of sources will help students
understand the diverse perspectives of responsibility and community. They will explore this
through oral, visual, and written literacy. These skills are important in developing a deeper
meaning with the content and allow students to research and acquire information in a variety of
ways. It also allows for space for differentiation within the unit, which will help, students
become successful in many different skill areas.
Oral Literacy
Students will have the opportunity to present and receive information orally (think-pair-share,
inside/outside circles, question slips, fish bowl, teach – ok, this or that, etc.).
Visual Literacy
Students will have the opportunity to represent their learning and research visually (drawing,
examining symbols, puppet show).
Written Literacy
Students will have the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the content through
written form (webs, lists, trifold).

Special Considerations
In kindergarten, students learn to ‘demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the multiple
social, physical, cultural and linguistic factors that contribute to an individual's unique identity’.
They learn who they are and what makes them unique. This is an important foundation to have
for this unit because we explore how this unique identity affects and reflects home, school, and
the community. They also learn an ‘understanding and appreciation of the characteristics and
interests that unite members of communities and groups’. These outcomes allow students to dive
into this unit because they develop a respect for others experiences, and develop a sense of
belonging. Having a sense of belonging directly affects the community and their sense of place.
These foundational outcomes in kindergarten are key components of being able to develop a
deeper understanding of this inquiry unit plan in grade one. Other skills that I assume are already
in place are the ability to write letters. We will develop written literacy as a group, in pairs, and
individually but I will have to explore the students’ foundational knowledge of writing before
jumping into the activities in this unit. Because of this I would incorporate this unit around
October so it gives me time to explore their reading, writing, and oral skills before beginning this
unit, which explores and develops these skills further.
Some family or community issues I may have to address are that everybody’s family may look
different. Building respect for the definition of what family and community is will be important
in exploring this unit. Having an awareness of the socioeconomic status of the students in your
classroom is imperative so you can adjust and build activities that are based on respect and
recognition of multiple perspectives. There are many family factors that are important to take
into account when exploring elements in this unit: divorce, single parents, no parents, poverty,
and many more. Because we are doing this unit a month into the year, it will give me the
opportunity to understand where the students are at and give me a chance to build lessons that
build respect, understanding, and diversity within these factors.
This unit has room for many cross-curricular activities. I will be incorporating English Language
Arts, Drama, and Math. The students will have a chance to explore many English outcomes in
this unit including but not limited to: expressing ideas, developing understanding, considering
ideas of others, and experiencing a variety of texts. This unit has a direct relation to ELA SLO
5.1: respect others and strengthen community. This unit explores many outcomes of the drama
program of studies: public speaking, awareness of others, fine motor skills, movement skills, and
developing an appreciation of work from self and others. This unit incorporates a puppet show,
which is a direct outcome for drama in grade one for: awareness of puppetry as a communicative
system. During this unit we will also be graphing, surveying, and using checklists that allow
 them to compare and contrast their own life within a community. This unit can incorporate the
outcome for comparing 2-D shapes to parts of 3-D objects in the environment. Current event
links will come up as students explore and ask questions. Current events links will also depend
on where this unit takes place and the current events at the time. Bringing in videos and
discussion allows for space for current events to be integrated easily into this unit.

References

Alberta Education. (2005). Social Studies K-3 [Program of Studies]. [Alberta], Canada: Alberta
Education.

Mulnix, J.W. (2012). Thinking Critically about Critical Thinking. In Educational Philosophy and
Theory (pp. 464-79).

Villotti, K., & Berson, I. (2019, May 15). Early Childhood in the Social Studies Context. Retrieved
from https://www.socialstudies.org/early-childhood-social-studies-context.
 Unit Planning Organizer

Unit Overview

Subject: Social Studies

Grade: 1
Unit/Topic: My World: Home, School, & Community
Unit Duration: 4 weeks (20 lessons) – 30-45 minutes each

GLO: 1.1: Home, School, and Community: Students will demonstrate an understanding and
appreciation of how identity and self-esteem are enhanced by their sense of belonging in their
world and how active members in a community contribute to the well-being, growth and vitality
of their groups and communities.

Critical Inquiry Question: To what extent am I responsible for my community?

à What am I responsible for in my community?

Focusing Questions for Lessons

• What different types of communities or groups do you belong to?
• What helps us to recognize different groups or communities?
• In what ways do we belong to more than one group or community?
• What are our responsibilities and rights at home, at school, in groups, and in communities?
 SEE-I for Unit

SEE-I for Community

State: A group of people with commonalities that may include culture, language, values and
beliefs, interests, practices and ways of life, history, and/or geographically defined shared space.

Elaborate: A community is a group of living things with commonality such as norms, religion,
values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given
geographical area (e.g. a country, village, town, or neighbourhood) or in virtual space through
communication platforms. Community is important in understanding how it involves and evolves
individuals and groups. Everyone has their own individual identity within the collective identity.
We form decisions based on who we are and where we are. It allows people to make connections
to where they live and who they are.

Example: Alberta. Alberta is one of the communities that students in Lethbridge are a part of.
Alberta shapes identity by the different land spaces, cultures, religions, and diverse ways of life
that the people in Alberta live. People individually are affected and civilized by the province and
this brings people together as a community with commonalities, sense of place, solidarity, and
shared experience.

Illustrate:

SEE-I for Responsibility

State: Responsibilities are things that you have to do as part of your job or role.

Elaborate: A responsibility is something you are required to do as an upstanding member of a

community. It is the state or fact of being responsible, answerable, or accountable for something
within one's power, control, or management. It can be another word for trustworthiness and it
can be the social force that motivates you to take on individual responsibilities.

Example:
1. It is your responsibility to shovel your sidewalk when it snows
2. It is your responsibility to pick up your dogs poop on a dog walk

Illustrate:
 Specific Learning Outcomes for Unit

Knowledge Outcomes:
1.1.3 - examine how they belong and are connected to their world by exploring and
reflecting upon the following questions for inquiry:
• What different types of communities or groups do you belong to?
• What helps us to recognize different groups or communities (e.g., landmarks, symbols,
colours, logos, clothing)?
• In what ways do we belong to more than one group or community at the same time?
• In what ways do we benefit from belonging to groups and communities?
• What are our responsibilities and rights at home, at school, in groups and in
communities?

Values and Attitudes Outcomes:

1.1.1 - Value self and others as unique individuals in relation to their world:
• Appreciate how belonging to groups and communities enriches an individual's identity
• Appreciate multiple points of view, languages, cultures and experiences within their
groups and communities
• Demonstrate respect for their individual rights and the rights of others
• Recognize and respect how the needs of others may be different from their own

1.1.2 - Value the groups and communities to which they belong:

• Demonstrate a willingness to share and cooperate with others
• Appreciate how their actions might affect other people and how the actions of others
might affect them
• Demonstrate a willingness to resolve issues and/or problems peacefully
• assume responsibility for their individual choices and actions

Skills and Processes:

1.S.1 - develop skills of critical thinking and creative thinking:
• examine ideas and information from varied sources
• choose and justify a course of action
Ø compare and contrast information from similar types of electronic sources

1.S.3 - develop skills of geographic thinking:

• use a simple map to locate specific areas within the school and community
• ask geographic questions, such as asking for directions
• understand that globes and maps are visual representations of the world
• locate Canada on a globe or map

1.S.4 - demonstrate skills of decision making and problem solving:

• collaborate with others to devise strategies for decision making and problem solving
• apply ideas and strategies to contribute to decision making and problem solving
1.S.6 - develop age-appropriate behaviour for social involvement as responsible citizens
contributing to their community, such as:
• behaviour in accordance with classroom, school and community expectations

Vocabulary for Unit

Community - A group of people that live in the same place or have something in common
Landmark – a feature of a place that is easily recognized and helps people know where they are.
Logo – A picture used to identify a sports team, company, or brand.
Responsibility – Things that you have to do as part of a job or role
Rights – Things that everyone should be able to do or have.
Role - The position of a person or group of people in a particular situation, or the duty, which
someone is expected to perform.
Symbol – a picture or object used in place of words.
 Performance Task
To What Extent Am I Responsible in my Community?

Create a Tri-Fold
of YOU!

You need on your trifold:

(Check when done)

o Self-Portrait

o Three personality words

o Three responsibilities

o Four photos of groups you belong to

o Answer this question: what am I

responsible for in my community?
Name:____________ My Inquiry Project
My responsibilities in my community

Personality Words My Responsibilities

1.______________ 1.______________

2.______________ 2.______________

3.______________ 3.______________
Photo Ideas Share It!
Circle One

o ___________
o Presentation
o ___________ o Gallery Walk
o ___________ o Video/Audio
o ___________ o Other
 My Inquiry Project
Self-Portrait

What am I responsible for in my community?

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

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