Student: Steph Mowery School: Frances Slocum Elementary

IWU Supervisor: Professor McCracken Co-op Teacher: Mrs. Hendey

Teaching Date: 11/30/18 Grade Level: 2nd

LESSON RATIONALE
This lesson focuses on helping students to understand the concept of freedom of speech. The activities set in place
help students to explore different ways of using their voices and the impact they can make as individuals.

READINESS
I. Goals/Objectives/Standard(s)
A. Goal: The students will explore their right of freedom of speech and the different ways in which they can
use their voices to make an impact.
B. Objective:
- Given purposeful stations to explore, the students will demonstrate an understanding of freedom of
speech.
C. Standards:
- NCSS 6 – Power, Authority, & Governance – “social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance, so
that the learner can…”
- IAS - 2.2.1 Explain that the United States government is founded on the belief of equal rights for its
citizens*. Example: People have the right to own property and the right of free speech. * citizen: someone
with rights and responsibilities in a particular community, city, state or country

II. Management Plan

a. Materials:
 handouts for each group for each task with directions
 flier example
 crayons/coloring utensils
 lined paper and blank paper for fliers/pictures/writing activities
 video for anticipatory set
 Books and QR codes
 sentence starters for book response

b. Time – listed at each section

c. Space – students will be all around the room – at small group tables and their seats
d. Behavior - I will vocalize positive behavior when I see it. I will give expectations and procedures
ahead of time – students who are not following directions during the lesson, will be asked to
move to a different spot. The students will receive a whole class reward of doing an activity of
choice later in the day if they follow directions and participate.
III. Anticipatory Set – 3 min
- I am going to play a video about how YOU can change the world. I want to hear some examples you heard
after we watch.
- Watch video: How to Change the World by Kid President
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z7gDsSKUmU
- So how can we change the world? What did he say we can do? How will that make an impact on the
people around you?

IV. Purpose: We are going to talk about one way you can change the world – and that is using your voice. Our
voice matters. We all have our own opinions and we have the ability to share them! We are going to talk
about why we have this freedom of sharing what we think and what we can do with it.
PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION
V. Adaptation to Individual Differences and Diverse Learners-- (CAEP K-6 1.b)
- For struggling readers, there will be an option for students to use a QR code to have books read aloud to
them on their IPad.
- Purposeful Grouping - Specific students will be placed with other students to help support their learning
and staying on task.
- a discussion leader will be chosen in each group to help lead/manage discussion

VI. Lesson Presentation (Input/Output) – 7 min

 Who is it that makes decisions for our country? How does our government make decisions? Us! We have
something called freedom of speech. Can anyone tell me what this means? We get to use our voice and
what we think to help make decisions. How can we do this? How can we, here at Frances Slocum, use our
voices to make a difference?
 In order to make a change, there are steps we can take. I will have pre-made signs with each of the steps.
As I talk, I will hang them on the board. #1 Should a change be made? We have to look at what is
happening now and decide if we like it or not. Could a change be made to make things better for all who
are involved? #2 Listen to each other’s thoughts and ideas. In order to make a change, we must listen to
other people’s thoughts and ideas. #3 we must come up with a plan of action! This plan comes from our
own ideas as well as what we have heard from others.
 So today, as members of the United States, we are going to talk about changes that YOU want to see in
this school or community.
 Now, when thinking about a change you want to see, it needs to be realistic. It should not be something
like everyone gets an unlimited amount of candy every day. Something that is going to benefit, or bring
good things, to everyone. Raise your hand if you have a suggestion and I will write it on the board.
 Write down the students’ proposals. Ask how each is going to benefit the school/community – thorough
explanations.
 Instead of me just explaining to you about how freedom of speech works in our country, you are going to
get to explore it for yourself.
 You will be put in four groups. Each group will be given three tasks – each task will take you through the
process of practicing your freedom of speech to make a change in our school or community.
 For your first task – you are going to look at how other characters in different books use their voices to
make a change. Your groups won’t get enough books for every person, so you may choose to share or
there is a QR code you can scan to listen to a book read aloud. There will be a few questions for you to
answer as you read.
 For your second task, you will practice listening to one another and sharing your thoughts and ideas on the
topics of change we just came up with. There will be a discussion leader in each group who will read the
questions out loud. You will go in a circle one at a time and each share your thoughts on the question.
Once everyone has answered, you will move on to the next question. Christionna I am going to use you for
a demonstration of this task. What is your opinion on having an extra recess? Interrupt her as she is
talking and share my own opinion. What did I do? I interrupted her as she was sharing her thoughts. I
wasn’t able to hear what her ideas were, and I bet she had some great thoughts on the topic. Make sure
you are listening and NOT interrupting.
 Your FINAL task you will be coming up with a plan of action. You will be given several options to pick from.
First, you must decide which change you want to focus on. Then, you may create a flier, write a letter to
someone in charge of the change you are trying to make, draw a picture of you doing something to make
a change, or write a speech that you can give to your group later on.
 As I explain each task, I will ask if the students have any questions.
 Each group of students will be doing the same task at the same time.

Tasks: (10 minutes for each)

- the students will receive handouts that explain each task/show the criteria needed.
#1
 - Each group will receive a few of the following books:
o Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
o Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
o The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
o Grace for President by Kelly Dipucchio
o Elizabeth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone
o I Have a Dream Martin Luther King Jr.
- As they read, they will answer the following questions:
o The change that was made in __________________(title of book) is
_________________________.
o The characters used their voice to make this change by _____________________________.
o What did you like about this book? ____________________________.

#2
- (Mrs. Hendey and I, as well as other IWU students if they come to observe, will be walking around to help
manage discussions)
- One student will be identified as the discussion leader (Shadow, Esley, La’Niyah, Cheyanne)
- The discussion leader will read each question aloud one at a time. They will go around the circle and allow
each student to share.
- The questions they will be given will include:
o Pick one of the changes we wrote on the board. How will this benefit people?
o How might one of the changes be a problem?
o Which change do you think will be the best for our school or community? Why?
o If time allows, the students will write down which change they think will be the best for the
school/community and why.
#3
- Each student will decide what they will do for their plan of action. They will choose from the list on the
board we created at the beginning of the lesson. They will be given the following choices:
o flier
 criteria: title, benefits of the change, pictures/color
o letter to someone in charge of making the change (principal, teacher, superintendent, mayor,
etc.)
 criteria: include Dear ____, and Sincerely _____, give 3 reasons why this change would
benefit our school/community.
o a picture of them doing something to make the change (recycling, showing kindness, etc.)
 criteria: I should be able to tell what the change is by looking at the picture, color,
detailed
o a speech to give to their group members
 criteria: must include what the change is, at least 3 reasons why it would benefit the
school/community.

VII. Check for understanding.

- I have included questions throughout the lesson presentation to see if students are understanding what
freedom of speech is. I also will be walking around to answer questions as well as ask students questions
about the work they are doing.

VIII. Review learning outcomes / Closure (3 min)

- You will have a few minutes to share your plan of action that you created with the people in your group.
Explain how you decided to use your freedom of speech to make a change.

PLAN FOR ASSESSMENT

I have provided specific criteria for each task. I will assess each student’s work and check off whether or not they
fulfilled each requirement. I will be walking around to see if students are on task and participating in each task. I
will collect the student work at the end of the lesson.

(CAEP K-6 3.a)

REFLECTION AND POST-LESSON ANALYSIS (CAEP

K-6 3.b)
1. How many students achieved the lesson objective(s)? For those who did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
- Did each task provide material that fully supported the objective and contributed to the concept of
freedom of speech?
- Were students engaged and able to stay on task independently?
- Did I give clear directions and provide expectations ahead of time?

Groups
Group 1: Ivianna, Skylar-Jay, Esley, E’Monie, Isiah
Group 2: Malaki, Bryson, Bianney, La’Niyah
Group 3: Cheyanne, Norin, Shaquan, Christionna, Ry’Aire
Group 4: Barry, Shadow, Ray’Mar, Temperance, Jamel