Overview and Background: Unit: To the Stars Through Difficulty

Wendy Wiens : Cheney USD 268

Language Arts. Social Studies. : Language Arts. Social Studies. : History. Social Studies.

Cheney : Grades 1 - 1

Title:	To the Stars Through Difficulty
Topics:	Kansas History, Biographies, Interviews
Time Frame:
Start Date:	-
Status:	Draft
Date Revised:

Other Designers:

Summary:
In this unit students will look at personalities in Kansas history and the challenges that they faced.

Print Materials Needed:

Resources:
399 Kansas Characters / by David Webb

Resource Attachments:

Internet Resource Links:
Link 1:http://www.cheney268.com/Curriculum/rubrics/Speaking/Speaking%203-5.doc

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results

State:	Local Standard
Title:
Standard(s):	Social Studies *The student will understand the significance of famous individuals and their contributions in Kansas' history. Reading *Identify topics, main ideas, and supporting details from selected passages of expository text. *Use strategies: summarizing and paraphrasing to construct meaning from materials. *Respond to reading in a variety of forms (graphically, orally, and/or written) Writing *Use a writing process that includes: prewriting, drafting, editing, revising, publishing and technology to express meaning. *Write expository paragraphs using topics, main ideas, and supporting details. *Use narrative writing style to create a friendly letter. Speaking *Prepare and present individual oral reports. *Use a main idea statement to plan and organize an oral report. *State main points clearly using complete sentences.

Understandings:
user	People who face and take on challenges with character and creativity make positive contributions to themselves, others, and their community.

Essential Questions:
User	*Who shaped Kansas' history? *How do people face challenges in order to make positive contributions? *Who has made a positive impact on your life? How and Why?

Knowledge and Skills:

K
*Famous individuals from Kansas and their contributions to our history.
*Everyone has challenges in life.
*Someone who has made a positive impact on their life and is able to tell why.
*Kansas' state motto "Ad Astra per Aspera" is Latin for "to the stars through difficulties".

S
*Take notes
*Read for information
*Organize information
*Write in complete sentences and paragraphs
*Write a friendly letter
*Organize, write and deliver an oral presentation

Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence

Assessment Summary:
Students will assume the role of a photojournalist to interview someone who has made a positive contribution to life in Kansas.

Task/Prompt: Kansans At Their Best

Type: Performance Task

Topics: Kansas History, Biographies, Interviews

Summary:
Students will assume the role of a photojournalist to interview someone who has made a positive contribution to life in Kansas.

Print Materials Needed:

Resources:

Resource Attachments:

Internet Resource Links:
Link 1: http://
Link 2: http://
Link 3: http://
Link 4: http://
Link 5: http://

Notes:

Student Directions:
Congratulations! You've been hired by KAKE News award winning photojournalist, Larry Hatteberg. Your first assignment is to produce a television interview that fits in with the station's current theme of "Ad Astra per Aspera: To the Stars through Difficulty- Courageous Kansas People". The subject may be a famous or not-so-famous Kansas person from the past or present who has made a positive contribution by dealing with challenges in a positive and creative way. You will need to write the script for this interview including the interviewer's questions and the famous person's responses. Find a partner to play the famous person and conduct your interview for the KAKE viewing audience. Your interview should be accurate, informative, organized and insightful so that your television viewers better understand that people facing challenges make positive contributions.

Other assessment evidence to be collected:

Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Learning Activities:

W
Brainstorm for famous Kansans.
Post Essential Questions.

H
Discuss the difficult situations that the students have encountered and how they overcame them.

E
Discuss the meaning of the Kansas flag and color it.
Research a famous person, create a short written biography with a picture and then create a mural of Famous People.
Teach letter-writing skills
Students will write a letter to someone who has made a positive impact on their lives, explaining why they were a positive force.
"I Will Survive" journal - Students will pick a past or present challenge and explain how to handle it in a positive manner.
Teach Interviewing skills
In pairs, students will create an interview of a character out of a story that they have read.

R
Students will peer critique each other's presentation and offer suggestions before their final presentation.

E
Students will assume the role of a photojournalist to interview someone who has made a positive contribution to life in Kansas.

Notes: