Community+within+the+School



 =**Lesson 3: ** Examining the school community = 
 * Topic:** The greater school community


 * Key Question:** Where/Who are the important people and places in my school?[[image:small%20school%20house.jpg width="232" height="334" align="right"]]


 * Duration:** 90 Minutes

-Brainstorm and list aspects of their own school life -Participate in group discussion -Observe, retain and correctly sequence data -Use special awareness to create and understand a simple map -Read and write simple vocabulary and be able to artistically represent an idea
 * Learning Purpose:** Students will gain an understanding of how their school works, who the important figures are and where the safe spaces are. They will examine their own routine within the school and begin to see what it means to be part of a larger community.

Students develop their awareness of spatial concepts and use terms that demonstrate an understanding of absolute and relative locations. Students learn to identify and name physical features and distinguish them on the basis of variables, including size (scale/height/distribution) and colour. Through observation, they investigate and describe elements of the natural and built environments in their local area. 
 * VELS references- Humanities Level 2 (Year 1&2): **

** Materials/Resources: ** -Clipboards -Pencils -Paper -Markers/crayons/coloured pencils -School layout -Pre-made map outline, on large paper -VELS standards 

**//Whole class focus//** Hold up photos, toys or other examples of people or places within the school and engage the children in a discussion. Choose four or five. For example: Hold up a photo of a crossing guard and ask “Who can tell me who this is?” Others might include a book for the library, food for the cafeteria, a ball for the gym etc. 
 * Tune In: **

 Ask the class to be more specific and list the different areas, people and activities they participate in, at school.  1)  <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;">Where do we come into school? Who helps us get here? Which door do we use? Where is the gym? Where are the bathrooms? Where are the staircases? How many people have used different doors and different stairs? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;"> 2) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;">Who are some important people in the school? Who feeds us? Who is in charge? Who helps us if we get hurt? Who gives the announcements? If you have a brother or a sister, what grade/where are they in the school? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;"> 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; color: black;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;">Where do we go during the week? Gym, Library, Music room, Drama room, Playground, Nurse's office, Lunchroom etc... <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;"> With the students, make a list of these people and places and explain that there are many teachers, classrooms, people, and areas that are important within the school and that we are going to explore them on a tour of the school and make a map. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * Explore: **

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Divide students into groups and give them each something to look out for in the school. One group will count the bathrooms, another the staircases, another the number of doors, others might count the teachers that they meet along the way, or the number of water fountains, classrooms, garbage cans, floors, hallways. On a more basic level, tell students to look out for the different places where they participate in activities. You may decide how many groups or things you incorporate. This information will be gathered on a short tour of the school. Have each group choose someone to record their findings and pick up a clipboard and a pencil. Have the whole class line up at the door and take them on a predetermined route around the school. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * Look: **

<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Return to the classroom and bring the class together to briefly report on what they found. How many of their assigned objects did they find? Use guiding questions and prompts. Did they know there were so many people in the school? How is everyone connected? Do all students have a teacher? Do all teachers have a classroom? Do all classrooms have a door? <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * Sort: **

** Test: ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;">How will we use our findings? What if someone new was coming to the school? Would they need to know where everything is? How can we show what we found? Prompt the students to the idea of making a map. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ** Act: ** <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Using pre-prepared basic outlines of the school drawn on large sheets of butchers paper, have each group add their findings to the map through artwork, writing or simple vocabulary. By letting them freely express what they witnessed, you allow for mixed abilities to participate (some will draw a book in the library, while another can help to label it). If the school is multiple stories, each floor will have a map, and two groups can work on each and a legend will need to be created. However if the school is only one floor, it might be easier to have each group do their own subject on a different outline and create a collection of maps. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ** Reflect ** : <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; color: black;">How do we feel about our school now? Put the maps up on the board and have students reflect on what they have found and created. Who do they think is the most important person in the school now? What is the most important place? Some may say the doors to get in and out of school; others may feel their favourite activity is the best. Did they see any new places or faces? Students should be able to demonstrate a broader understanding of the school community and how it works.