CELEBRATIONS: HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD Lesson Plan on PowerPoint Bethany Barnhart Texas Woman’s University

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of this thematic unit is to teach students about the different holidays celebrated around the world. The critical literature review that was conducted described thematic instruction and how a beginning teacher would implement this in an English as a second language (ESL) classroom.

CELEBRATIONS: HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD Grade: 5 th Subject areas: English Language Arts and Reading and Social Studies Duration: 3 weeks, 2-3 lessons per week

CONTENT OBJECTIVES  Students will research the history of a holiday that they celebrate through interviews with family and online research, they will be able to recall information gained at 90% accuracy  Students will research the history of a holiday celebrated by another classmate through an interview with a partner, readings and online research, they will be able to recall information gained at 90% accuracy.  Students will write in a journal to keep track of information gained throughout the project.  Students will write a comparison paper with 85% accuracy.  Students will participate in active learning at least 90% of the lesson.  Students will present a comparison concept map of holidays in an oral presentation at 85% accuracy.

LANGUAGE OBJECTIVES  Students will be involved in small group and partner discussions throughout the lesson.  Students will present their findings to the class orally.  Students will pose thoughtful questions to presenter.  Presenters will respond to the best of their ability.  Students will learn new relevant vocabulary.

TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TEKS

 § English Language Arts and Reading  (b) Knowledge and skills.  (15) Writing/Writing Process. Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text.  § English Language Arts and Reading  (b) Knowledge and skills.  (23) Research/Research Plan. Students ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them.  (A) brainstorm, consult with others, decide upon a topic, and formulate open-ended questions to address the major research topic  § English Language Arts and Reading  (b) Knowledge and skills.  (27) Listening and Speaking/Listening.  (A) listen to and interpret a speaker's messages (both verbal and nonverbal) and ask questions to clarify the speaker's purpose or perspective;  (C) determine both main and supporting ideas in the speaker's message.  § English Language Arts and Reading  (b) Knowledge and skills.  (28) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to give organized presentations employing eye contact, speaking rate, volume, enunciation, natural gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively.  (29) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to participate in student-led discussions by eliciting and considering suggestions from other group members and by identifying points of agreement and disagreement.  § Social Studies, Grade 5, Beginning with School Year  (22) Culture. The student understands the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to the United States.  (A) identify the similarities and differences within and among various racial, ethnic, and religious groups in the United States;  (B) describe customs and traditions of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups in the United States; and  (C) summarize the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to our national identity.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE STANDARDS ELPS

 §74.4. English Language Proficiency Standards.  (c) Cross-curricular second language acquisition essential knowledge and skills.  (1) Cross-curricular second language acquisition/learning strategies.  (C) use strategic learning techniques such as concept mapping, drawing, memorizing, comparing, contrasting, and reviewing to acquire basic and grade-level vocabulary  §74.4. English Language Proficiency Standards.  (c) Cross-curricular second language acquisition essential knowledge and skills.  (3) Cross-curricular second language acquisition/speaking.  (E) share information in cooperative learning interactions  §74.4. English Language Proficiency Standards.  (c) Cross-curricular second language acquisition essential knowledge and skills.  (2) Cross-curricular second language acquisition/listening.  (D) monitor understanding of spoken language during classroom instruction and interactions and seek clarification as needed;  (E) use visual, contextual, and linguistic support to enhance and confirm understanding of increasingly complex and elaborated spoken language;  (G) understand the general meaning, main points, and important details of spoken language ranging from situations in which topics, language, and contexts are familiar to unfamiliar;  (H) understand implicit ideas and information in increasingly complex spoken language commensurate with grade-level learning expectations; and  (I) demonstrate listening comprehension of increasingly complex spoken English by following directions, retelling or summarizing spoken messages, responding to questions and requests, collaborating with peers, and taking notes commensurate with content and grade-level needs.

PROCEDURE Step-By-Step

PROCEDURES 1.I will review prior knowledge of writing the writing process, use of graphic organizers, and the conducting of research using an interview and online sources. 2.S tudents and I will review the guidelines of our new project. I.This guideline will have important dates that will reflect days in which sections of the assignment will be due. II.The guidelines will give specific expectations for each part of the assignment which will build onto each other to bring them to their final product. III.***Each section will be reviewed as we move through the assignment to confirm student understanding.

ASSIGNMENTS:  The Assignment, Part 1  Students will pick a holiday that they personally celebrate with their family.  Students will then list 10 questions, which need to be reviewed by the teacher. Questions will range from personal reasons for celebrating the holiday to the historical background of the holiday.  Students will keep track of their findings in their specified journal.  The Assignment, Part 2  Students will be placed in small groups where they will discuss which holiday they have researched and will find a partner from their small group that has researched a different holiday.  Students will come up with 10 questions, which need to then be approved by the teacher. Questions are meant to inquire about their partner’s holiday and to research further through online resources.  Students will again track their findings in their specified journal.

ASSIGNMENTS CONT.  The Assignment, Part 3  Students will compare and contrast the two holidays and organize this into a graphic organizer.  Students will write a rough draft of their paper and review will teacher.  Students will compose a final draft that reflects the corrections made by the teacher.  Students will use their papers and graphic organizers to create a poster board.  Students will present their findings with the class and will ask and respond to questions posed by the class, to the best of their ability.  Conclusion  The teacher will conclude the project by reviewing and having an open discussion about the theme of the project. * This lesson will involve small group and class discussions along with independent research. The teacher is to be involved throughout the process in order to give students guidance and assistance when needed.

MATERIALS What do we need?

MATERIALS  Library books  Subjects: Holidays, variety describing holidays celebrated in different countries/cultures  Pens, Folder (to keep track of papers), and Writing Journals  Computer  Graphic Organizer Worksheet  Spanish to English Dictionary  ***student created dictionary, to add new vocabulary throughout lesson (students are accustomed to this process from previous lessons).  Thematic Unit Schedule Handout

ASSESSMENT

Students will be assessed throughout this unit and ending with their final presentations using a rubric that will be given to them as they begin to plan their final product. The assessment will look at:  Students use of sources  Parents, computer, books, and interview  Journal Entries  Turned in after each assignment in the unit.  Concept map  Comparison paper  Small group work  Done through teacher observation by walking around class  Presentation and Poster Completeness

CONCLUSION Final Thoughts

CONCLUSION This presentation demonstrates how to plan a thematic unit that will be an authentic learning opportunity for students. It provides a demonstration of a thematic unit used across more then one content area. This unit also promotes support of the diversity present in many classrooms today. Students are given an opportunity to explore their own culture and another’s in a meaningful way so as to learn more about themselves and a fellow student.