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Ragan Schmiedeskamp

Title: Creating a Community

Grade Level: 3

Length: 40-50 min.

Performance Expectations:

The students will draw a map of a city with their peers.

Materials:

Book: Do skyscrapers touch the sky?

Markers/Crayons

Construction Paper

Procedure:

Introduction:

1)Ask the students the following questions:

a)What is a community?

1. What are some things that you find in every community?
2. What are some different types of communities?

2)Read the book Do skyscrapers really touch the sky?

Development:

1) Break students into groups of 2 or 3.

1. Give each group a large piece of paper.
2. Today we are going to create a map of our own make believe city.
3. You can put whatever you want in your city, but all of your group members must agree.
4. Keep in mind the list we made at the beginning of class of things found in every community.
5. You need to have at least three of the things on the list on your map.
6. Also keep in mind the special things that you only find in cities that were listed in the book.
7. You will have about 25 minutes to map your city.
8. Your group will share your map with the rest of the class, so be able to explain why you included what you did.
9. You may begin working.
10. Make sure you (teacher) walk around the room and talk to groups to monitor students in their groups to make sure they understand the assignment and to see what ideas they are coming up with.

Closure:

1) Have the students share their maps with the class.

2)Have the students explain why they included what they did.

Assessment:

1. Checklist to ensure that each group included at least three of the things necessary in all communities:
   1. Places for people to live.
   2. roads or means for people to travel
   3. places for people to work
   4. school
2. Listen to group explanations of why they included certain things.
3. Anecdotal notes on how the group worked together to create their community map.

Adaptations/Extensions:

1)Students could make an advertisement for their community explaining why people would want to live their.

2)You could do this activity for many different types of communities other than cities.

1. You could do the activity for different countries communities.
2. You could have students create models of a city rather than a map.

References:

Armento, B. & Grcua, J. & Erickson, R. (1985). Living in communities. New York: Laidlaw Brothers.

Ball, J. (1994). Do skyscrapers touch the sky?: First questions and answers about the city. Alexandria: Time Life Inc.