Lesson+Comparison

== = = =//**LESSON COMPARISON:**//=

In second grade, students are still learning how to be good citizens (friends) and how to get along with one another. In this way, second grade students are very aware of rules both at school and at home. In this way, I can connect to prior knowledge by giving them an experience where some students are given game directions while others are left to flounder without game directions. This will cause an "unfairness" in second graders minds. An unfairness is unacceptable with second graders. They believe that everything should be fair. The discussion that will take place after the game could be heated but will lead to great questions, comments, and sharing of beliefs. This will bring awareness to rules -- all kinds. The experience and assimilation will provide students the opportunity to review the right and wrong way to behave and why rules are important to have. Modeling to the Wild Things why rules are important will give students the memories of modeling rules.

Scaffolding will be provided all along the way from the card game to the creation of a Comic Life page. Some card games will have directions while others will not. Being very specific about who gets which game will scaffold learning for students. Since I know that one student cannot subtract yet, I will make sure I give him the addition snap game. Another student will be in tears because she does not know how to play the game, so I will make sure she gets a game with directions.

Also, students, though they signed up for their own rule to act out, will have partners or small groups. Once these are developed, adults involved can review the groups and see which groups will be able to run with this and which may need steps through the picture process, and which groups may need an adult as a group member, too. Lastly, the groups will need to be reviewed to see who, if any, will need Comic Life support. One student may not be able to create a comic life page independently, but based on his partners or group, may be able to contribute without much support. Or, he may have a group that will not be as supportive and therefore may need a template to use.

In fourth grade, Students are beginning to see and understand a larger community and how rules are really called laws. They are also beginning to receive more independence from parents, maybe getting the chance to go home to an empty house after school. Fourth graders are seeing that they have rights, but that with rights come responsibilities. Many if not most of these students have solid chores for which they are responsible. They can see how their lives can be affected by choices and are wanting a say in what they have to do or what they have an option of doing.

For fourth grade, the teacher can scaffold learning very purposeful in creating partners while students explore Ben's Guide to U.S. Government. There are a number of factors that may need to be considered...behavior, reading ability, connectivity, support or student helpfulness, etc. Being very purposeful about these partnerships can create very powerful teams that can be successful. Sometimes, though, there are times where teachers must be present, and creating those small groups or partners will provide the teacher an opportunity to float between a group or two.

Because the second and fourth grade lessons are very different and yet similar in their goals, the information literacy standards can be in essence differentiated appropriately. In second grade, students will practice ILS 9 and ILS 3 more than the other standards. Not only does this experience lend itself perfectly to these two standards, they still are learning how to be good partners or members of a group. They are also learning how to give and take with regards to creativity and how to report their learning accurately. In fourth grade, many of the information literacy standards fit within this experience. Not only do students need to access the information on the Ben's Guide website, but they will have to practice evaluating information critically. This is a tough concept for all elementary students to comprehend -- how do you decide what is important and what is not. The students will also be able to see the importance of a democratic society, community, and how we have the right to free speech.

Though these units follow the same central idea, they are very different in their experiences. Younger students focus on what makes sense in their lives - rules, and older children begin to step out of their small world and begin to look at a larger community - laws, rights and responsibilities.