Title: Caring Train
Lesson Theme: Orphan Train - Citizen Action Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 5th grade
MN Standard: Grade 4-8 IV.B. Historical Skills: Historical Resources
Grade 4-8 IV.C. Historical Skills: Historical Inquiry
Lesson Objectives:
- Students will demonstrate ways they can help orphaned children and families in need.
- Students will collect toys, books, and essential items like winter jackets, hats, mittens, boots, blankets, etc. or monetary donations to be distributed to the local Children's Home and Salvation Army.
Essential Question: What would you sacrifice to create a better life for those you care about?
Materials Needed:
* Large boxes (4 - 5)
* Assorted paints, brushes, paper, misc art supplies
* Poster paper and/or cardstock
* Markers
* In place of (or in addition to) the last two items, a computer with a poster making program could be used
Anticipatory Set/Motivation/Snappy Launch:
Teacher asks the following questions:
* How many of you think we have orphans in our community?
* How many of you think we have people in need in our community?
* What do you think others would be willing to sacrifice for these people?
* What would you be willing to sacrifice for these people?
Procedure:
Instructional Method: Constructivist
Instructional Strategies: Cooperative groups
Content Outline:
- Background: Students would be familiar with the book A Family Apart by Joan Lowery Nixon and the sacrifices made for each other by the mother and the siblings.
- Students would have brainstormed ideas to help the orphans and others in need in our community during the Anticipatory Set. The teacher would lead the students to the idea of collecting needed items and monetary donations from others in the school and community through the discussion. Other ideas students brainstormed would be noted and filed for future lessons.
- Students are broken into groups to work on painting and decorating large boxes to resemble a train for the purpose of collecting needed items.
- Other groups of students are assigned the project of creating posters to be distributed throughout the community to invite others to join our efforts, the collection place, and dates. These could be hand drawn with markers or be computer generated as preferred by the students and teacher (and the resources available).
Student Assessment and Check for Understanding:
The teacher will know if understanding and student participation occurred by the completion of the "train" and posters.
Lesson Extensions:
- Students present the information to other classrooms in the school inviting them to join our effort and take a poster to be displayed in a prominent location within the community.
- Students assist with organizing the donations - seperating toys, books, and other items for distribution.
- Students create cards and/or pictures to be sent with the donations to let others know they are thought of and cared about.
- Students create thank you notes to be given to the other classrooms, the principal, the custodial staff as well as create a newspaper article thanking the community for their support.
End of project rubric:
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Creating collection train.
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I stayed on task and worked cooperatively with my group to create a train car.
4 points
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I mostly stayed on track with my group to create a train car.
3 points
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I didn’t help my group very much in creating our train car.
2 points
|
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Creating posters
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I created more than 3 posters using correct grammar and spelling. I made my posters colorful and inviting.
4 points
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I created 2 – 3 posters using correct grammar and spelling. I made my posters colorful and inviting.
3 points
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I created 0 – 1 posters that may or may not contain correct grammar and spelling. I didn’t use many colors when creating my posters.
1 point
|
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Sharing project with other classrooms
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I was an active participant in my speaking group. I gave at least 2 items of information and encourage fellow students to take posters.
4 points
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I joined my group and gave 1 item of information and encouraged fellow students to take posters.
3 points
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I was with my group, but didn’t do any speaking and didn’t encourage anyone to take posters.
2 points
|
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Ready for distribution
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I sorted 20 or more items into the proper areas.
4 points
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I sorted 10 – 19 items into the proper areas.
3 points
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I sorted less than 10 items into the proper areas.
2 points
|
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Creating cards and pictures
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I created 3 or more cards or pictures with correct spelling and grammar and meaningful pictures.
4 points
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I created 2 cards or pictures with correct spelling and grammar and meaningful pictures
3 points
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I created 1 card that may or may not have correct spelling and grammar and a meaningful picture.
2 points
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Thank yous
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I created 3 or more thank you notes or worked on the newspaper article using correct spelling and grammar.
4 points
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I created 2 thank you notes or worked on the newspaper article using correct spelling and grammar.
3 points
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I created 1 thank you note or worked on the newspaper article using correct spelling and grammar.
2 points.
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Here is a link to another A Family Apart lesson plan:
A Family Apart_ Primary Source Lesson Plan
And a link to a Reading activity for Chapter 2:
A Family Apart_Chapter 2 Reading Activity
A Family Apart
History
Social Studies Standards
NCSS Ten Themes
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