Introduction: This lesson helps students learn about what the state they live in is currently like. Even though students are only in middle school they are still only a few years away from being able to vote, and it is important for them to be informed citizens.
Objectives: Content/Knowledge (Head): Students will be able to identify who their local and statewide representatives are. Students will be able to explain how the Northern and Southern parts of the states are different. Process/ Skill (Hand): Students will be able to compile information about different aspects of Illinois. Values/Dispositions (Heart): Students will be able to persuade someone to move to Illinois.
Standards: State – Illinois Social Science Learning Standards (2016) SS.CV.1.6-8.LC: Identify roles played by citizens (examples: voters, jurors, taxpayers, military, protesters and office holders). SS.CV.5.6-8.LC; MdC; MC : Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school and community settings. State – Common Core State Standards: Grades 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7 Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts. National – National Council for the Social Studies NCSS VI: Power, Authority, and governance
Academic & Conceptual Foundation: Facts and Concepts:
The current governor of Illinois is Bruce Rauner
Bruce Rauner is a Republican
Our current senators are Dick Durban and Tammy Duckworth
They are both Democrats
Your local representatives are based on where you live (your zipcode)
Inquiry, Interpretations, or Analyses
Who are our local representatives?
Why is Tammy Duckworth so significant?
Why would someone want to live in the city we live in?
Arguments or Conclusions
Students will determine that Illinois is very unique because some parts of it are very city and some parts of it are rural (fields, corn, etc). They will discuss and determine what makes their region unique and desirable.
Assessment: Students will create a brochure discussing a town in Illinois, who represents it, at least 3 local establishments, and what makes that town special to the people who live there. The rubric for the assignment is attached below.
Lesson:
Forming
Teacher Instructions
I will pass out cards to students but only include the 9s, 10s, jacks, queens, kings, and Aces. (If I have more than 26 students I can add more cards but my average class is 24 students so the 9s and 10s will only have 3 cards).
I will have students find their number groups (ie 10s together, jacks together, etc)
I will have a diagram on the board explain where each group will sit (Source 1). It will also explain where each suit (hearts, spades, etc) will sit at the table.
I will tell students once they find their groups to sit quietly and wait for further instruction.
Resources
Deck of cards
Seating chart
Student activity
Students will each receive a card
After everyone has a card, students will find their group (based on the number on their card) and go sit with them.
They will sit in their group and at a specific seat based on the seating chart on the board.
Students will wait quietly for further instruction.
Functioning
Teacher Instruction
I will direct groups to look up at the board and read the three R’s slide on the board: roles of each student in the group, the responsibilities of those roles, and the rules.
We will discuss how to act accordingly.
Resources
3 R’s slide (Source 2)
Student Activity
We will discuss the roles of each member in the group, the responsibilities of those roles, and the rules.
Card Roles:
Heart: Fact Finder
Spade: Timekeeper
Diamond: Artist
Club: Spellchecker
*Note just because someone else has a role (such as artist) does not mean you can’t assist, it just means they get final say.
3. Formulating
Teacher Instruction
As a class, we will discuss our current representatives (State Senators, State Representatives, Governor, district representative for house of representative, and Illinois two senators).
Students will be provided a handout with the names of each person and a picture of them. There will also be a powerpoint about them. *Note Seeing as I don’t know have an actual school right now I will use my representatives.
We will discuss major cities specifically Springfield and Chicago. However we will also discuss how much of Illinois does not look the way Chicago/ the Chicago Suburbs does (ie it’s corn fields).
In their groups students will discuss why someone might want to live in Illinois/different parts of Illinois. One member from each group will share out.
Groups will each research a different city/ town in Illinois. They will find out who their local representatives are, a local establishment that people frequently visit, and a fun fact about the town. The goal of the assignment is to find out why people choose to live in that town. They will then create a brochure about the town. Students will receive a rubric so they know what is required of their brochures.
Resources:
Powerpoint about local representatives (Source 3 below)
Handout about local representatives (Source 4 below)
Paper to make the brochures
Markers/crayons/colored pencils
Computers for students to do their research
Website (Resource 5) which allows students to pick a city they want to focus on and then provides link to different restaurants, the population of that city, a map, etc. It is necessary for it to be a link rather than a handout because so much is linked to it.
Rubric (source 6)
Students Activity
Students will follow along in their packets while we learn about local representatives
Students will take notes about Chicago and Springfield next to the designated spots in their packets
In their groups students will discuss why someone might want to live in Illinois/different parts of Illinois. One member from each group will share out.
Each group will research a different city/town in Illinois. They will find out who their local representatives are, a local establishment that people frequently visit, and a fun fact about the town.
They will then create a brochure about the town.
4. Fermenting
Teacher Instruction
I will pass out self-reflections and group-reflections for students to complete at the end of the week.
Resources
Self-Reflections (Source 7 below)
Peer-Reflections (Source 8 below)
Student Activity
Students will fill out self-reflections and peer-reflections.