Essential Standards / Social Studies
3.C&G.2 Understand how citizens participate in their communities.
3.C&G.2.1 Exemplify how citizens contribute politically, socially and economically to their community.
Unpacked:
Responsible informed citizens obey laws and take part in community affairs.
Responsible citizens try to make their community a better place.
Responsible citizens contribute to their community by voting.
3.C&G.2.3 Apply skills in civic engagement and public discourse (school, community)
Unpacked:
Citizens of all ages can be active participants in the community by:
- Addressing issues of public concern
- Applying skills in public discourse
- Sharing ideas and information about concerns and issues at school and the community through writing and speech.
- Participating in public conversation and communications by sharing information about public ideas and concerns.
3.MD.C.5 Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement.
3.MD.D.8 Solve real world and mathematical problems involving perimeters of polygons, including finding the perimeter given the side lengths.
ELA
W.3.1.A Introduce the topic or text they are writing about, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists reasons.
W.3.2.A Introduce a topic and group related information together; include illustrations when useful to aiding comprehension.
SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text….with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
RI.3.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to agrade 3 topic or subject area.
Compelling Question / Is there a better way to arrange the desks in our classroom?
Staging the Question / Do most communities have problems?
Our class is our community at school. Do we have any problems?
Big Idea: When communities have problems, responsible citizens of all ages can address issues of public concern by applying skills in public discourse.
Essential questions:
One:What is the meaning of public discourse?
Two:When participating in public discourse, what stepsshould communitiesfollow in order to assure that problemsare solved in a respectful way that will lead to a workable and acceptable solution for all members of the community?
Supporting
Question 1 / Supporting
Question 2 / Supporting
Question 3
What is public discourse and what are the skills needed to solve problems in a civil, respectful, way?
Source 1 A
Definition of Public
Definition of Discourse
Source 1 B
What is public discourse lesson plan?
Source 1 C
Graphic organizer for definition of public discourse and an example.
Source 1 D
PowerPoint: How to Solve a Problem Civilly: An eight-step process. Slides 1-10. / All citizens want a safe and workable community. Are there any problems with our current arrangement of desks? What are the pros and cons of our current arrangement?
Source 2 A
Steps 1-3
Teacher will lead students through Steps 1-3 in Problem Solving Civilly. Teacher’s guide of possible responses for Steps 1-3 are in the PowerPoint, Desk Arrangement, slides 11-13.
Graphic organizer for current room arrangement.
Source 2 B
Step 4
How have other classrooms attempted to solve this problem? What other arrangement of desks are used?
Example of using Step 4 in Problem Solving Civilly, Desk Arrangement, slide 14.
Source 2 C
Graphic organizer for list of pros and cons of classroom arrangements seen on tour.
. / How can we model different alternatives or solutions to ensure that they are feasible?
Source 3 A
Step 5, Slide 15
Source 3 B
What is the perimeter and area of our classroom?
Source 3 C
Differentiation for high math students
How do we draw models to scale?
What is the perimeter and area of our classroom? Measure using yardstick, tape measure, or a surveyor’s wheel. Students may also use the length of a student’s foot that is close to 12 inches. In addition, square floor tiles may be used if available.
What are the dimensions of our desks?
Students will measure using a ruler and yardstick. Students will also measure other important furniture in the room.
Source 3 D
The above questions and following classroom discussions with Mrs. Schlosser’s students have been videotaped for the WS/FCS. For demonstrations on how to implement lessons on perimeter, area, making templates, and drawing a classroom to scale, please go to:
WS/FCS Social Studies Videos:
Source 3 E
Example of templates for furniture
Formative
Performance Task / Formative
Performance Task / Formative
Performance Task
Students will role play in groups an example of public discourse, and another situation that is not an example of public discourse.
Source 1 E
Students will list the steps involved in public debate and problem solving. Specifically, students will list the eight steps involved in solving a problem civilly. / Students will make a rough sketch of the arrangement of desks that they liked the best from their tour. Students will explain in writing why they prefer this arrangement and what problems it will solve. / Suggested scale for drawing is 1 inch equals 2 feet. (24 inches)
Students will measure desks and main furniture in classroom and draw templates to scale.
Students will draw room to scale, using perimeter measurements.
Students will create a scale model of their ideal arrangement of desks in the classroom on graph paper. By drawing the arrangement to scale, students assure that the solution is doable.
Students may want to use 1 inch square tiles as models for the desks. These can be easily moved to try different arrangements of the desks. Students will use them to trace their final arrangement.
Featured Sources / Featured Sources / Featured Sources
Summative
Performance Task / Argument / Each student will present to the class his or her scale model of the solution and state the reasons why the other students should vote for his or her arrangement of the desks as the best solution. What problems does his or her solution solve? What are the advantages of this solution?
Extension / Ask the class “If we were not limited to the present desks that we have in our classroom, could you design or invent a desk that would suit our needs better?” Brainstorm with the class and ask students to think outside of the box. Students will draw their desk inventions and write why they think their design is better than current desks. What need does their desk design fulfill that our current desks do not? Students will present their ideas.
Taking Informed Action / First Action:
Students will vote on the arrangement they like the best. Teacher will move the desks to the new arrangement and give it a try!
Source 3F for Steps 6-8 and Source 3 G for Action Plan
Second Action:
Now that students know the 8 steps for solving a problem civilly, they will use these steps to help resolve other current problems in the communities of their classroom, their school, and/or the town or city in which they live. Start by asking students to write down any problems that they see occurring in their class. Teacher will chart these using a bubble map. After reviewing all problems, ask the class to vote on the one that they think is the most pressing at this time. Students will go through the problem solving steps to come up with a workable solution. When looking at problems at the school level, small groups of students should interview the Guidance Counselor, the Student Council members, and the principal and vice principal. Student groups will present to the rest of the class the current problems at school. The students will then decide which problem they would like to address first and begin the process. Looking at problems in the local community, students should interview the mayor, members of the city council, and their parents. Students should also read editorials and the local news (with help from their parents) to find, review, and consider local problems written about in the newspaper. Using their interviews and research in the newspapers, the class will agree upon a problem that they would like to help solve in the local community.Students will go through the eight problem solving steps to come up with a workable solution and write a letter to the editor of the newspaper.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 / SOURCE A
What is public discourse?
Definitions from Wordsmyth:
PublicPub*lic
pronunciation:
puhblihk
parts of speech:
adjective,noun
phrases:
in public
part of speech: / adjective
Definition: of, for, or having to do with all members of a community; not private.
Our town's most beautiful public building is the new library.
antonyms:
personal,private
similar words:
civil,social
Definition: connected with or serving the people or government.
My father is thinking of running for public office.
synonyms:
civic,governmental,political
similar words:
common,federal,local,municipal,national,state
Definition: shared by or open to all.
The author gave a free public reading from her latest book.
synonyms:
common,open
antonyms:
private,secret
similar words:
accessible,available,general,mass,shared
related words: / apparent,civic,civilian
part of speech: / noun
Definition: a community of people as a whole.
That beach is not open to the public.
synonyms:
commonwealth,community,country,nation,people,tribe
similar words:
folk,masses,population,society
related words: / country,crowd,house,neighborhood,people
Discourse
dis·course /
parts of speech:
noun,intransitive verb
part of speech: / nounpronunciation: / dIskors
Definition: verbal communication; conversation.
Asking questions is part of typical discourse.I'm sure we'll have further discourse on
this subject at our next meeting.
synonyms:
conversation
similar words:
chat,colloquy,communication,converse,dialogue,discussion,gab,
talk
Definition: a discussion in speech or writing, often formal
and at some length.
In the discourse toward the end of the paper, the author explores the implications for
future research.
synonyms:
address,colloquy,discussion
similar words:
dialogue,dissertation,essay, study,talk,thesis,treatise
related words: / address,conversation,monologue,word
part of speech: / intransitive verb
pronunciation: / dIskors[or]dihskors
inflections: / discoursed, discourses, discoursing
Definition: to communicate verbally; converse.
Here's a photograph of him actually discoursing with the prince.
synonyms:
converse,talk
similar words:
chat,confabulate,confer,dialogue,discuss,rap,speak
Definition: to discuss a subject formally and at some length in
speech or writing.
The professor discoursed at length about the causes of World War I.
synonyms:
declaim,lecture
similar words:
dialogue,expound,orate,perorate,pontificate,sermonize,speak,talk
related words: / canvass,dilate,enlarge,lecture,talk
derivation: / discourser(n.)
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 / SOURCE B
What is public discourse?
Students will look at the above definitions of public and discourse and write their own definition, stating what they think public discourse means. They will use specific information from the above definitions.
Class discussion of their ideas… public (group) discussion
Teacher will point out that public discourse is usually of an issue of civic (community) importance.
Teacher will also note that public discourse is usually aimed at finding a solution toa problem. One of the big issues with public discourse these days is that it is usually NOT civil, or respectful or kind.
Ask the kids read a couple of examples of public interactions and then try to figure out which one matches the definition of public discourse. For example:
Fighting in a parking lot
Attending a public meeting to offer ideas about road repair
Writing a letter to the mayor about crosswalks
Yelling at your television when you dislike a politician being interviewed
Attending a school board meeting about testing results
Formative Assessment:
Have the students role-play with a partner one of their own examples of public discourse and one example that is NOT public discourse and have their classmates guess which is which. (source: Jonathan Milner)
Public Discourse
Using specific information from the definitions we discussed of Public and Discourse, write your own definition of Public Discourse below:
Public Discourse Definition:
Based on your definition, write an example of public discourse.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 / SOURCE DSee included Powerpoint file
SUPPORTING QUESTION 1 / SOURCE ESUPPORTING QUESTION 2 / SOURCE A
SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 / SOURCE B
Pros and Cons of Our Classroom Arrangement
What problems are occurring because of our current desk arrangement?
- Example: Students are constantly pushing their chairs back and bumping other students.
What are the positive points with our current arrangement?
- Example: Students can work in cooperative groups.
SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 / SOURCE C
SUPPORTING QUESTION 2 / SOURCE D
Classrooms Tour
Observation Recording Sheet
Teacher Name ______Grade Level______
Draw a sketch of the arrangement of this room.
What do you like about this arrangement?
What do you dislike about this arrangement?
SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 / SOURCE ASUPPORTING QUESTION 3 / SOURCE E
SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 / SOURCE F
SUPPORTING QUESTION 3 / SOURCE G
Plan of Action
List three reasons why we should vote for your idea. Why is your suggestion the best solution to our class’s problem with the arrangement of our desks? Be sure to say which current problems your idea will solve.
1.
2.
3.
Grant, Lee, and Swan, 2014