Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

LU2 Title: Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Westward Movement	Author(s): Laurie Swinwood
Grade Level: 5th	School : Edwards-Knox Central School
Topic/Subject Area: Social Studies/Reading/Language Arts	Address: 2512 County Route 25, Russell, NY 13687
Email: swinwood@northweb.com	Phone/Fax: (315) 347-3210 Fax: (315) 562-3284

OVERVIEW

"Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Westward Movement is a six week social studies, reading and language arts unit designed for the 5^th grade. The unit is divided into three sections: 1) Social Studies: The Westward Movement, 2) Reading: On the Banks of Plum Creek, and 3) Language Arts: Students publish an autobiographical picture book. Tests are given at the end of every ten chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek, which include both vocabulary and comprehension. A final test, based on vocabulary and notes is given at the end of our study of the Westward Movement, 4) an autobiographical picture book is published using Microsoft Word and illustrated by the student.

This unit includes learning, extending and refining experiences. 1) Extending and Refining Experience: we attend an actual one-room schoolhouse for the day's lessons, which are taken from books from that time period. The students and teachers "step back in time" dressed authentically. 2) Learning Experience: each child designs and creates a nine-patch quilt, similar to Laura and Mary's, 3) Culminating Activity: (see rubric) each child designs their own autobiographical picture book, which they share in the library with the younger children, as "visiting authors".

This unit addresses many disciplines, such as, art, social studies, reading, language arts, and drama. Students learn map skills, comparing and contrasting points of view, illustration, writing and editing skills, Microsoft Word, sewing, public speaking and teamwork.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Social Studies: Why the westward movement took place in America.	Read from the journals of Lewis and Clark, study their maps, read actual pioneer journals, take notes in the cloze format, learn about the major trails west, the Trail of Tears, and the Louisiana Purchase.
There were two points of view during this time period. That of the Native American, and that of the pioneer.	In teams, (assigned at random) create a list of reasons to go west, or not to go west, based on the point of view of your team. Design a poster advertising from your point of view. Present it to the class. Discuss.
Vocabulary: pioneer, frontier, reservation, persecute, Appalachians, telegraph, turnpike, canal, stagecoach, Pony Express.	Learn their definitions, write them in context.
The pioneers encountered many problems in the course of their move west.	In numbered pairs, solve some of those problems. Share and discuss. Write a constructed response based on a cartoon sketch of a pioneer family.
Reading/Language Arts: Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family were pioneers.	Read the book, On the Banks of Plum Creek. View slides of Laura and her family. Take notes and discuss. Write an autobiographical picture book of their lives. Become "visiting authors". Design "Peek Through Characters" of the characters in the book, write poems about their character and present them to the class.
Artifacts still exist today, that once belonged to the pioneers. Quilting was a pioneer past time and skill, which took a great deal of patience. Pioneer children attended a one-room schoolhouse.	"Name That Artifact" Contest- view artifacts and be able to identify them. Make their own nine-patch quilt. Attend an authentic one-room schoolhouse, play games at recess from Laura's day. Participate in lessons from that period. Dress in costume, and bring a lunch from that time.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Why did the westward movement take place in America?
What was it like to live as the pioneers lived?

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

English Language Arts Standard 2 Language for Literary Response
Key Idea 1: Listening and reading for literary response involves comprehending, interpreting and critiquing imaginative texts.
Key Idea 2: Speaking and writing for literary response involves presenting interpretations, analyses and reactions to the content.

*Performance Indicators: Students will successfully complete the following tasks:

Read On the Banks of Plum Creek and pass all tests given, in regard to comprehension and vocabulary.
Successfully write a response-based question on the pioneers.
Write a rough draft, edited copy and illustrated published copy of an autobiographical picture book, using Microsoft Word.
Present their picture books to younger students, in the library, as visiting authors.

Social Studies Standard 1 History of the United States, an analysis of the development of American culture.
Key Idea 1: The study of New York State and United States history requires an analysis of the development of American culture.

*Performance Indicators: Students will successfully complete the following tasks:

Take notes in the cloze format.
Pass all tests given, in regard to content and vocabulary.
Work in collaborative pairs to create a poster representing their assigned (Native American or pioneer) point of view.
Identify authentic artifacts from the time period.

INITIATING ACTIVITY

"Name Those Artifacts Contest": Authentic artifacts, from the pioneer time period, are placed on a table. Each is represented with a numbered card. The students guess what the artifacts were used for and fill out a matching form. Prizes are awarded to students with the greatest number of correct responses. Discussion follows. (Artifacts for this activity may be borrowed from a local museum, or a teacher may create and add to their own.)

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In chronological order including acquisition experiences and extending/refining
experiences for all stated declarative and procedural knowledge.

"Name That Artifact Contest".
Read from the journals of Lewis and Clark, study their maps, read actual pioneer journals, take notes in cloze format, learn about the major trails west, The Trail of Tears, and the Louisiana Purchase.
In collaborative teams, create posters for reasons to go west (pioneer point of view) and reasons not to (Native American point of view)
In numbered pairs solve some of the real problems the pioneers faced.
Write a constructed response based on a cartoon sketch of a pioneer family.
Read the book, On the Banks of Plum Creek. View slides of Laura and her family.
Make their own nine-patch quilts.
Make "Peek Through" characters for the characters in the book, do poetry and present their characters.
Write autobiographical picture books, using Microsoft Word. Be "visiting authors" in the school library.
Attend an authentic one-room schoolhouse.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)

Publish an autobiographical picture book on their lives. Be "visiting authors" in the library for the younger children.

Picture Book Rubric:

Criteria: Points:

1. Title and author 5

2. Main ideas, supporting details 30

3. Organization 20

4. Neatness, Effort 10

5. Illustration, use of full color, detail 20

6. Spelling, punctuation, grammar 15

Total Score: 100

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

Children need to be able to read, or learn through the use of modifications, at grade level.
Students need to be able to write, edit, revise, and use Microsoft Word.
Students need to learn to work as a team.

MODIFICATIONS

This unit was taught to two separate fifth grade classes, of twenty students each. One class contains four CSE students. The other includes three special education inclusion students. Modifications for the CSE students include having tests read to them, directions given in a simplified form, books on tape, minimize distractions, extended time and the support of a Resource Room teacher. Modifications for the inclusion students include having a special education assistant present during class to assist them.

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

This unit was taught using three 45-minute periods per day, for five weeks. (One period for each subject area.) Art projects were completed during study time.

TECHNOLOGY USE

The language arts culminating experience of this unit takes place in our computer lab. The students learn to utilize Microsoft Word, in changing font size, color, and type. They also learn to save data, and open files on their own disk. They create, edit, and print final copy of the text for their autobiographical picture books, using Microsoft Word.