People Who Make a Difference Unit

Throughout February and March, we have been learning about people who make a difference in our world.  This unit addresses reading, writing, art, global citizenship, and technology standards. 

During literacy and writing workshop times, students began by reading a variety of biographies independently or with a partner.  After reading about several famous people, students selected one person that they would like to study in greater depth. Our research focused on the challenges, obstacles, and questions that the person was faced and how they made a difference in our world.  Students took notes on a graphic organizer to prepare for their final Book Creator projects.

We also read several Scholastic News articles which focused on famous people, such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, and Katherine Johnson.  In addition, I read aloud several biographies of famous people, such as Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. As we read, we learned about how they made a change in the world.  We noticed that they had optimism and perseverance, which helped them keep working even when times were challenging. While reading about these important people, we also learned about the history of our country, including segregation laws, the Civil Rights movement, and how women worked to get the right to vote.  

During Technology Integration times, Arlyn, Mrs. Badger, and I helped students create information books using Book Creator on their computers.  Students learned how to insert and resize text boxes, type their text, add headings, and import photos and illustrations. They also practiced putting “expert words” in bold print and changing the color and size of font.

During Discovery times, students created their own portraits of their famous people for the covers their Book Creator books.  I gave students some tips for creating portraits and asked them to look closely at illustrations and photographs of the person they were studying.  We paid careful attention to their clothing, important objects that were important to their work, and other details about their surroundings.

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the EMES Celebration of Learning last night! If you would like to view our Book Creator projects online, you can find them on the Giammusso Book Creator Link on the EMES LIbrary webpage.