Jody Richards

Jody Richards Outline of Proficiency Based Learning Unit for Social Studies

To Meet standard SS.CG 6-8.7 employ strategies for civic involvement that address state, local or

national issues.

Allow 20 minutes per day for students to work on their part of the project, allow for some groups to

work together if they can work productively. Check in with each student at least once a week to

evaluate their progress, make suggestions, help overcome barriers etc.

As each part of the project is completed students will celebrate one another’s progress.

Depending on which project the students choose, have some kind of culminating activity. Invite the

parents of a trafficked child to speak, have a dinner for the homeless or a coat drive, contribute to a

rehab center. Whatever they choose  Richards Outline of Proficiency Based Learning Unit for Social Studies

To Meet standard SS.CG 6-8.7 employ strategies for civic involvement that address state, local or

national issues.

Challenging Problem or

Question

Human Trafficking

(especially of Native

Women and Children)

Homelessness and

Hunger – how to fight

poverty

The Drug Problem

Sustained inquiry How prevalent is it?

Who does it affect?

How can I help?

How can I avoid being

a victim?

How can I help others

in my community stay

safe?

How prevalent is it?

Who does it affect?

How can I help?

What can I do to raise

my standard of living??

How can I help others

in my community?

How many people in

my community does

this affect?

How can I avoid

becoming a victim?

How can I help friends

and family members to

stay or get clean from

drugs?

Authenticity Real world problem

close to home

Real world problem,

close to home – easier

to conceptualize

Real world problem

close to home. Hits

home for a lot of kids

who have lost parents

and other family

members to drugs.

Student Voice and

Choice

Students may choose

this or another cause

to support

Students may choose

this, or another cause

Students may choose

this or another cause

Reflection This may be hard for

students to

conceptualize as most

have not experienced

this

This is more realistic to

most students- many

have experienced

homelessness and

hunger

More realistic to

students some have

experienced the death

of a family member or

friend from Overdose.

Critique and Revision Constant Constant constant

Method –

Refer back to the project listed as part of chapter one – tell the students that they will be working on a

project and that they get to choose which project the class should work on. (Each class will choose which

of the three projects they would like to work on.

Introduce each of the three societal issues to the students in three separate days – have students take

notes so they can refer back to them.

Have students write a persuasive letter telling why they think we should choose 1, 2, or 3 after all

students have read their persuasive letter to the class. Class will vote on which project they would like to

undertake.

Once the project is chosen allow students to pick a way they would like to get involved. I want to

organize a fund raiser or I want to teach kids how to be safe. I want to talk to the city council about the

problem, I want to make posters, write a poem, write a book, interview victims, talk to the newspaper …

the list goes on.

Dear Montana teacher –  

Our class is studying the three subjects below. We have learned that "If you know the past, you can change the future. We are currently in the process of voting for which of these causes we would like to support. It may be all three as each class gets to choose one.