Mission Possible

As part of a project-based learning, I was invited to help 2nd graders research historical figures that showed good citizenship.  This is an important TEK in Texas Social Studies.  So I wanted to tie the lesson of learning about historical figures with a library skill aligned with AASL standards (American Association of School Libraries).

Find the lesson here: Historical Figures Teach Good Citizenship

For the lesson, students would be diving into a short (45 min.) research lesson, learning how to find biographies about specific historical figures in an online database, closely reading the short biography with a partner and drawing a conclusion of what character trait that person showed and giving evidence.

  

This was an undertaking, but well worth the time it took me to prepare the lesson and the effort both the teacher and myself had to give for the students to be successful.

Students were amazingly able to figure out the gist of what these historical people did and how it related to the good citizenship traits.  I won't lie, there was guidance... pointing to a specific paragraph, or showing read-aloud features, or trouble-shooting technology, but the kids really got the idea.

Each pair were able to complete a card, share what they learned with the group and conclude that learning about "old people" can help us learn to be good citizens.  The cards left over were sent back to the classroom to be added to a literacy center and blank cards were sent as well.  Students were encouraged to use the blank cards to add people they knew to the circle map in the classroom.  Of course evidence of the good character trait has to be included!