1. Michelle Smotzer Inquiry and Information Fluency Mini Lessons
Teacher: Michelle Smotzer Unit: Community Helpers Class: Social Studies (Pre-K)
Date of lesson: September 13th, 2016
GELD Standard: CD-SS4.4b Describes the roles and responsibilities of a variety of occupations.
ISTE Standards: 2.) Communication and Collaboration, 4.) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision
Making, 6.) Technology Operations and Concepts
Curated List for Mini Lesson#1: https://list.ly/list/1BLv-curated-resources-for-mini-lesson-number-1
Essential Question:
Why is it important for people to have jobs?
Activating Strategy: Students will watch this video about community helpers, listen, and repeat their
names when prompted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFa-1iKzGmE
(Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #1-Authenticity)
Teaching Strategies: -As a class we will make a KWL chart to state what we already “know” about
community helpers, state what we “want” to learn, and at the end of the unit state
what we did “learn” about community helpers.
-The teacher will then conduct a read aloud on the book “When I Grow Up” by
Al Yankovic. This book is about a young boy who tells his class all the things he
might become when he grows up, giving great examples of different types of
community helpers.
-Students will then make a class chart showing what type of community helper
they would like to be when they are older.
For example:
Summarizing
Strategies:
-The class we be guided back to the KWL chart to see if there is any information
that can be added. (Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #5-Student Success)
-Students will also be reminded of the essential question, will discuss with their
“peanut butter and jelly partner (this is their partner that they have been paired
with at the beginning of the school year),” and then share their answer with the
class.
Assessment Strategy:
(Inquiry-Based
Learning Principle #3-
Assessment)
**ALL student assessments are entered on Work Sampling Online**
-Teacher will review student comments on the KWL chart.
2. Michelle Smotzer Inquiry and Information Fluency Mini Lessons
-Paraprofessional will check off on the class matrix for student participation
during read aloud.
-Teacher will take notes (student dictation) while students are in the dramatic
play area using community helper props.
Enhance or Extending
Learning Activity
Students will use classroom computers to complete this online game about
community helpers. This game gives different scenarios and asks students what
each community helper does. For ex: Who helps us when we are sick? Who helps
us find a good book?
http://www.education.com/game/community-helpers-quiz/
Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #4-Appropriate Use of Technology
3. Michelle Smotzer Inquiry and Information Fluency Mini Lessons
Teacher: Michelle Smotzer Unit: Community Helpers Class: Social Studies (Pre-K)
Date of lesson: September 14th, 2016
GELD Standards:
CD-CP2 - The child will use prior knowledge to build new knowledge.
4c Uses information gained about familiar objects and people, and can apply to a new
situation.
CD-SS4.4b Describes the roles and responsibilities of a variety of occupations.
ISTE Standards: 2.) Communication and Collaboration, 4.) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision
Making 6.) Technology Operations and Concepts
Curated List for Mini Lesson#2: https://list.ly/list/19St-curated-resources-for-mini-lesson-number-2
Essential Question:
How can we decide what is the right thing to do is instead of wrong?
Activating Strategy: -Students will watch this video from Despicable Me about rules.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/471118811001194126/
Teaching Strategies: -Teacher will inform, lead, and prompt students in a short discussion on why we
have rules and why we should tell the truth. (Students will join and add to the
discussion.)
-Teacher will divide students into groups and play a game of Jeopardy. The
teacher will give students a scenario and within their groups they need to decide
if the scenario is true or false.
For example:
Should we call 911 if the computer isn’t working? (Yes/No)
Do you need to tell a doctor if you are hurting? (Yes/No)
After each scenario the class will then discuss why the answer is true or false.
(Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #7-Performance of Understanding)
Summarizing
Strategies:
-The class we be guided back to the KWL chart to see if there is any information
that can be added. (Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #5-Student Success)
-Students will be reminded of the essential question and as a class come up with
ways to help us decide if we are doing the right thing or not?
Questions may include:
Could it hurt anyone?
How do I feel about it?
What would my mom or dad say about it?
Assessment Strategy:
(Inquiry-Based
Learning Principle #3-
Assessment)
**ALL student assessments are entered on Work Sampling Online**
-Teacher will review student comments on the KWL chart.
4. Michelle Smotzer Inquiry and Information Fluency Mini Lessons
-Teacher will check students off on the class matrix for responses during
“Jeopardy” game.
-Paraprofessional will make notes (student dictation) during our Summarizing
Strategy on ways to help one decide if they are doing the right thing or not?
Enhance or Extending
Learning Activity
-Students will use classroom computers during center time to play Curious
George’s “On the Job” game. This game shows a picture of a community helper
and gives students 3 options/tools to choose from that the helper will need in
order to perform the job.
http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/on_the_job/
(Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #4-Appropriate Use of Technology)
5. Michelle Smotzer Inquiry and Information Fluency Mini Lessons
Teacher: Michelle Smotzer Unit: Community Helpers Class: Social Studies (Pre-K)
Date of lesson: September 15th, 2016
GELD Standard: CD-SS4.4b Describes the roles and responsibilities of a variety of occupations.
ISTE Standards: 1.) Creativity and Innovation 2.) Communication and Collaboration, 4.) Critical Thinking,
Problem Solving, and Decision Making 6.) Technology Operations and Concepts
Curated List for Mini Lesson#3: https://list.ly/list/1BLx-curated-resources-for-mini-lesson-number-3
Essential Question:
What do people need to do their job?
Activating Strategy: Students will watch and listen to this video about community helpers, things that
they do in our community, and things they might need in order to perform their
job.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__T933kP0Bw
(Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #1-Authenticity)
Teaching Strategies: -The teacher will conduct a read aloud on the book “Whose Tools Are These?: A
Look at Tools Workers Use - Big, Sharp, and Smooth”by Sharon Katz Cooper
and Amy Bailey Muehlenhardt. This book is about different community jobs and
shows pictures of tools used by the workers and later shows the worker using the
tool and describes what he or she does.
-Students will then get the opportunity to perform for the class using props and
act out different scenarios being told by the teacher. Some scenarios will be
correct and others will be incorrect. Students in the audience will decide which
are correct and incorrect. For example: There was a huge fire at school and the
firefighter went to grab his handcuffs to put the fire out! (With this teaching
strategy we will be reviewing and discussing our essential question for this
lesson.) Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #7-Performance of Understanding
-Students will participate in a short online powerpoint game called “Who Am I.”
This game gives students clues to help them guess which community helper it is
describing. The clues may include what the person does, where they may work,
or tools they may use.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/305259680966779499/
(Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #4-Appropriate Use of Technology)
Summarizing
Strategies:
-The class we be guided back to the KWL chart to see if there is any information
that can be added. We also will review everything that was learned about
community helpers! (Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #5-Student Success)
Assessment Strategy:
(Inquiry-Based
Learning Principle #3-
Assessment)
**ALL student assessments are entered on Work Sampling Online**
-Teacher will review student comments on the KWL chart.
-Paraprofessional will check off on the class matrix for student participation
during read aloud.
6. Michelle Smotzer Inquiry and Information Fluency Mini Lessons
-Teacher will take notes (student dictation) while students are participating during
the performance where they are acting out different scenarios. During this activity
the paraprofessional will also take notes on student responses when they are
participating as the audience.
-Teacher will check students off on the class matrix for responses during “Who
Am I?” game.
Enhance or Extending
Learning Activity
-Students will use classroom computers during center time to listen and read
stories online about different types of community helpers and the tools they need
in order to perform their job.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/index.htm
Inquiry-Based Learning Principle #4-Appropriate Use of Technology
