Meet Mr. President, Author(s): Sharon Diliberto and Tara Durse, Grade Level: 3, Subject Area: Social Studies, -As the students enter the classroom, they will be greeted with a sign "Election Held Today". The students will cast their vote for the candidate of their choice. Have containers decorated with U.S flag stickers and a slit cut in the top of each. One can is labeled George Washington, and the other is labeled Abraham Lincoln. To register their votes, children place a real or play quarter into the Washington can or a real penny or play penny into the Lincoln can (to correlate with their pictures on the coins). The students will then tally and graph the results of the election.

Planning Guide

Creating Learner-Focused Schools

* Madison-Oneida BOCES- This document may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the District Superintendent or his designee.

LU Title: Meet Mr. President (REVISED VERSION)	Author(s): Sharon Diliberto and Tara Durse
Grade Level: Grade Three	Sauquoit Elementary School 2601 Oneida St Sauquoit, NY 13456
Subject Area: Social Studies	School Phone/Fax: (315) 839-6339

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative

Procedural

The students will acquire information on the presidents.
The students will be introduced to major events in US history such as the Civil War, Revolutionary War, Gettysburg Address, etc.
The students will understand and appreciate why we celebrate the birth dates of two influential presidents.
The students will be introduced to the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship.
The students will acquire information on the White House.
The students will identify the qualifications needed to be President of the United States.

Using the library, the students will complete a graphic organizer on the president of their choice.
The students will develop a timeline on the important events in the lives of both Lincoln and Washington.
The students will send an e-mail message to the president. (president@whitehouse.gov)
The students will access information and pictures on the White House from the internet. (www2.whitehouse.gov/WH/Welcome-nt.html)
The students will access information and pictures on both Lincoln and Washington from the internet

www.siec.k12.us/~west/lincoln/home.htm

www.netins.net/showcase/creative/lincoln.html

www.mountvernon.org/

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What significant role did Lincoln and Washington play in the history of our country?
What were the major accomplishments of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln?
What qualifications are needed to become the President of the United States?
What are the voting responsibilities of a United States citizen?

INITIATING ACTIVITY

As the students enter the classroom, they will be greeted with a sign "Election Held Today". The students will cast their vote for the candidate of their choice. Have containers decorated with U.S flag stickers and a slit cut in the top of each. One can is labeled George Washington, and the other is labeled Abraham Lincoln. To register their votes, children place a real or play quarter into the Washington can or a real penny or play penny into the Lincoln can (to correlate with their pictures on the coins). The students will then tally and graph the results of the election. The students will then count the coins and find the total value.

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: Social Studies

Level: Grade 3

Unit Theme: Presidents

Standard: #1 Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York State.

Benchmarks:

explain the values, practices, and traditions that unite all Americans
distinguish between near and distant past and interpret simple timelines
identify individuals who have helped to strengthen democracy in the USA and throughout the world

Standard:#2 Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.

Benchmarks:

read historical narratives, myths, legends, biographies or autobiographies to learn about how historical figures lived, their motivations, hopes, fears, strengths and weaknesses.
develop timelines that display important events and eras from world history.
compare important events and accomplishments from different time periods in world history.

Standard: #5 Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the government system of the USA and other nations; the US Constitution, the basic values of American constitutional democracy; and the role, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

Benchmarks:

understand that citizenship includes an awareness of holidays, celebrations, and symbols of our nation.
Understand that effective, informed citizenship is a duty of each citizen, demonstrated by jury service, voting, and community service.

Performance Standard: Effective Communicator

Standard:Students will read, write, speak, and listen for information/understanding.

Benchmarks:

1. Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data facts, and ideas; discovering relationships, concepts and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources.

2. Speaking and writing to acquire and transmit information requires asking probing and clarifying questions, interpreting information in one's own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely and comprehensibly.

Technology Standard

Standard: #2 Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

Benchmarks: access needed information from printed media, electronic data bases, and community resources.

Learning Experiences
Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…	What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?	What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?	Describe what will be done.
The students will acquire factual information on the presidents and major events in US history.	Reading biographies Viewing videos Reading informational worksheets Lecture using reference materials from the library	graphic organizers songs and poems choral reading cooperative learning groups	Throughout the course of the unit, the students will be reading a variety of informational/ biographical sources. They will be viewing videos on Lincoln and Washington. They will fill out graphic organizers and worksheets to classify and sort information. Working in pairs, the students will give an oral presentation on a President of their choice.
The students will understand and appreciate why we celebrate the birth dates of these two influential presidents.			As a result of experiencing the activities in this unit, the students will become aware of the reasons why we celebrate Presidents' Day.
The students will be introduced to the roles, rights, and responsibilities of US citizens.	Mock election Gathering facts from informational worksheets	- Simulate a real-life experience	The students will participate in a mock election.
The students will acquire information on the White House	Gathering facts from informational worksheets Accessing internet web sites	- Working in pairs	The students will read and complete informational worksheets. They will also work in pairs to access information from the internet.
The students will identify the qualifications needed to be President of the United States	Gathering facts from informational worksheets Accessing the White House web site	-Cooperative learning groups	The students will read and complete informational worksheets. They will also work in pairs to access information from the internet.

Learning Experiences
Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:	What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?	Describe what will be done.
The students will locate reference materials from the library to research and record information about the presidents.	-graphic organizer	The students will do research on a president of their choice and organize their information on a graphic organizer.
The students will develop a timeline.	-graphic organizer	The students will develop a timeline of the important events in the lives of both Lincoln and Washington.
The students will send an e-mail message	Flow chart on the steps to sending e-mail	The students will send an e-mail message to the President requesting information on the qualifications of being president.
The students will access information and pictures from the internet.	Flow chart on how to access a website	The students will access information and pictures on the White House, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington

Learning Experiences
Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

[Comparing, Classifying, Inductive Reasoning, Deductive Reasoning, Error Analysis, Analyzing Perspectives, Constructing Support, Abstracting, Other]

Describe what will be done.

…the lives of both Abraham Lincoln and George Washington

-Comparing

-Deductive Reasoning

-Based on a venn diagram completed by the students, they will write a compare/contrast report. (Comparing)

-The students will create a "Presidential Quiz" using the knowledge they learned about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. (Deductive Reasoning)

Learning Experiences
Meaningful Use Task

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
*What knowledge* will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to...........**	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.
…determine what qualifications are needed in order to become President of the United States.	[ x] Decision Making (selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others) [ ] Problem Solving (seeking to achieve a goal by overcoming constraints or limiting conditions.) [ ] Invention (create something to meet a need or improve on a situation) [ ] Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation.) [ ] Investigation (resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something.) [ ] Systems Analysis (analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact) [ ] Other:	The students will create a "Help Wanted" poster depicting the necessary qualifications and the qualities that they feel are needed by the individual candidates for the upcoming presidential election. (see rubric)

Rubric: Extend and Refine - Comparing

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Identifies Items	Identifies Characteristics	Identifies similarities and differences
Weights	0%	0%	100%
4	Items are given to the students by the teacher	Items are given to the students by the teacher	Accurately and fully compares all similarities and differences of the given items
3			Accurately and fully compares most of the similarities and differences of the given items
2			Needs help in accurately comparing some of the similarities and differences of the given items
1			Unable to accurately compare the similarities and differences of the given items even with assistance

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

Rubric: Extend and Refine - Deduction

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Identifies deduction	Interprets Generalizations or Principles	Identifies Logical Consequences
Weights	0%	0%	100%
4	This component is not assessed at this bench mark level	This component is not assessed at this bench mark level.	Accurately identifies logical conclusions implied by the generalizations/principles
3			With few errors, accurately identifies consequences of the generalizations/principles
2			Accounts for some important consequences of the principles or generalizations but makes logical errors is identifying consequences
1			Identifies consequences that have little significance and show little or no logical thinking on the topic

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

Rubric: Meaningful Use Task

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Content (Qualifications needed to be president)	Visual Appearance (Creativity)	Spelling	Selection of Qualities
Weights	30%	30%	10%	30%
4	Accurately includes all necessary qualifications to become president	Includes a great deal of creativity to entice prospective voters	All words are spelled correctly	Includes at least 4 personal qualities needed to be president
3		Includes creativity to entice prospective voters	Most words are spelled correctly (1-2 misspelled words)	Includes 3 personal qualities needed to be president
2		Includes some creativity to entice prospective voters	Some words are spelled correctly (3-4 misspelled words)	Includes 2 personal qualities needed to be president
1		Includes little creativity to entice prospective voters	Few words are spelled correctly (more than 4 misspelled words)	Includes 0-1 personal qualities needed to be president

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

Have You Considered These Yet?

Learn to Learn Skills: One to one peer tutoring, use of Internet, use of reference materials to gather facts.

Assessment Modifications: Individualized instruction for students with learning disabilities, modification of project requirements, and assistance and consideration during the assessments.

Unit Schedule/Time Plan: approximately 5 weeks

MEET MR. PRESIDENT

Pre Activity: E-Mail President requesting information for MUT

Launch: As the students enter the classroom, they will be greeted with a sign "Election Held Today". The students

will cast their vote for the candidate if their choice. You will need containers with U.S. flag stickers, The containers need a slit cut in the top of each. One can should be labeled George Washington and the other should be labeled Abraham Lincoln.

To register their votes, children place a real or play quarter or penny in the respective containers. The students will then tally and graph the results of the election. The students will then count the coins and find the total value.

Day 2 PreInternet Activity Lesson Launch Quiz (26)

Read Honest Abe WS "Abraham Lincoln/Torn in Two

Day 3 Read A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln . Complete timeline ws e "From Wilderness to White House."

Day 4 Read Just a Few Words Mr. Lincoln. Complete ws "A Life in Pictures"

Day 5 Read Chapters 1-3 Abraham Lincoln Complete Mini

book on Lincoln

Day 6 Read Chapters 4-5 Abraham Lincoln. Complete WS

50/52

Day 7 Read The Gettysburg Address WS 61/53

Day 8 Listening Skill WS "The Great Emancipator"

Day 9 Show Great Americans: Abraham Lincoln V1458 (23 minutes)

Begin Teasure Hunt Internet site ws 28

Day 10 Read A Picturebook of George Washington Complete

Ws 69 and Mini-book on Washington

Day 11 Read George Washington Complete ws 63/69 and Venn

Diagram "Don"t Call Me King"

Day 12 Complete "Life of a Leader" Timeline

Day 13 Show Great Americans:George Washington V1459 (15 min)

Visit Mount Vernon Internet Site www, mountvernon,org.

Day 14 Evaluation- Write 3 interesting facts the students have learned

about Washington and Lincoln on outlines of each president

(Writer’s Workshop)

Day 15 Complete Compare/Contrast Venn Diagram on Lincoln and

Washngton

Day 16 Write Similarities paragraph (Writer’s Workshop)

Day 17 Write Differences paragraph (Writer’s Workshop)

Day 18 Complete review sheet

Day 19 Test on Presidents

Day 20 Students will take an on-line quiz. Each student will be asked to write at least 5 questions about the presidents. From these questions, the teacher will select 20 that the students will be asked to answer in pairs.

Website for on-line quiz: www.siec.k12.in.us/~west/lincoln/home.htm

Day 21 ws 20 - Information sheet on the White House

Day 22 Look up White House floor plans on the internet

*www2.whitehouse.gov/WH/Welcome-nt.html

Day 23 ws "Who is the President Today?"

*Use websites:

www.senate.gov

www.house.gov

Day 24 Working in pairs, the students will choose a president and complete a report using a graphic organizer. (Allow 3-4 days for oral presentations during writer’s workshop)

Day 25 ws 71 "Leadership Skills"

Day 26 MUT - "Help Wanted" Poster

Written Overview: This unit was designed to help students become more aware of the office of presidency, as it relates to their roles and responsibilities as a United States citizen. This unit will allow students to be actively involved in a variety of activities about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They will have many opportunities to use the internet as a way of obtaining needed information. They will also read a variety of biographies as a source of information.