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Luanne
The Unit Plan: Native Americans and Community
Essential Question/Big Idea:
How do communities work together?
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Meaningful Text(s): If You Lived With The Sioux, The Legend of Bluebonnet, The Gift of The Sacred Dog, The Girl Who Loved Horses, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, 5 Little Turkeys, The Very First Thanksgiving Day, The Story of the Jumping Mouse, The Wampanoag's and the First Thanksgiving.
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Learning Outcomes:
Students Will:
  • Ask questions about images and text when reading about Native Americans,  
  • Retell a story recounting the setting, characters, problem and solution, 
  • Talk about how communities work together,
  • Give at least 3 facts about the Sioux indians and discuss what they are grateful for,
  • Compare and contrast families from the past to families now.
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Alignment with standards:
LAFS.K.RL.1.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
LAFS.K.RL.1.2 With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
LAFS.K.RL.1.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
LAFS.K.W.3.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
LAFS.K.SL.2.6  Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
SS.K.A.2.1 Compare children and families of today with those in the past.
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Luanne's Unit Plans:
Native Americans and Community,
Antarctica Unit,
Maps Unit
Anchor 1
Written and Artistic Processes/Products
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  1. Brainstorming around Essential Question: How Do Communities Work Together? record thinking on post-it​
  2. Entering Text: See, Think, Wonder photographs of Sioux​
  3. Read Aloud: If you Lived with the Sioux​
  4. Vocabulary Tableaus​
  5. Read Aloud: The Legend of Bluebonnet​
  6. Yes, and … Storytelling​
  7. Shared Reading: The Gift of the Sacred Dog, The Girl Who Loved Horses, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush​
  8. Informational Text: If You Lived with the Sioux​
  9. Answering wonderings on anchor chart​
  10. Art: Paper Bag Tipi with symbols​
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Formative Assessments - 
Looking and listening for understanding of…
  1. essential question and written record of understanding
  2. students’ observations, connections and questions
  3. the Sioux Indians and the period in time
  4. vocabulary essential for understanding the text
  5. character and setting
  6. retelling the events of a story
  7. similarities and differences in the stories
  8. key details and facts
  9. of the Native American tribes
  10. of Native American ways 
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MORE: See entire Unit Plan
Culminating Performance/Exhibition/Student Work
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Above: Teacher used the strategy See, Think, Wonder with whole group.
Students were able to demonstrate their understanding of Native Americans through a variety of performance tasks and multisensory activities.
Resources:
Complete Unit Plan PDF
See, Think, Wonder
Story Map Template
Native American Picture Symbols
Unit Rubric
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Reflection:
Above: Culminating event for the month long unit on Native Americans brought kindergarteners and first graders come together to sing songs about their history and share a “Thanksgiving” snack.
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Left: Unit Rubric
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