Lesson Plan Homelessness in America

Lesson Title: Homelessness in America		Lesson Focus: This lesson focuses on the analyzation of causes and possible solutions to homelessness in America. Students will analyze the reasons for homelessness and will provide solutions to end the problem. They will also create awareness programs or relieve drive within their community.			Lesson Benefits: The lesson will benefit children in developing their soft skills like empathetic, communication, caring, supportive, ability to work in a team, problem-solving skills and decision making, etc.
Instructional Materials, Equipment, Technology, and Resources
Instructional Materials: Curriculum and related prepared documents that will be used by either the Teacher or the Student.	Necessary Equipment: Scissors Glue Chart/Card sheet Paints Colors Markers			Technology: Multimedia Computer/laptop		Lesson Resources: Maniac Magee Novel by Jerry Spinelli
Learning Targets
Learning Objective: The students will be able to: •        list some major causes of homelessness. •        identify some challenges that people who are the homeless face in their daily lives •        analyze and provide some of the solutions to homelessness •        discuss what they have learned about homelessness with their families and friends				Student Friendly Language Learning Objective: We will be able to: •        list down some major causes of homelessness. •        identify some challenges that people who are the homeless face in their daily lives •        give some of the solutions to homelessness
Language Support
Key Vocabulary: Basic Human Needs Nurturing Homeless				Language-Sensitive Modifications: Provide language support, in addition to ELL necessities, to address cultural, idiomatic, and categorical language that may include ethnic, religion, gender or SES.
Instructional Plan
Teaching Activities: Warm-Up: Brainstorming questions on having a home versus homelessness: 1. What are Basic Human Needs? 2. What is the essential part of being in a home? (A safe and nurturing environment) 3. Does anyone have any personal connection with someone who faced being homeless? 4. What would you have to give up if you found yourself suddenly homeless? 5. What emotional changes do you think you would experience? 6. How do you think people become homeless? (Choices/no choices) Students will be informed that they will be analyzing some major causes of homelessness in America today and will try to find possible solutions to eradicate this issue through a series of activities. Read Aloud/Shared Reading: I will introduce the book Maniac Magee Novel by Jerry Spinelli. I will discuss the blurb and cover page of the book. I will ask students to predict the issue that might be discussed in the book. Following questions will be asked: What do you think is the story about? Who is the author? What is the theme of this book? Through the shared reading process, I will read out selected extracts/excerpts from the book.  I will pause and ask several questions to the students. Following questions will be asked: 1.    Who is telling the story of Maniac Magee? 2.    Why does Maniac Magee have to go and live with Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan? 3.    Which of the following best describes Maniac? a. timid and hopeful b. aggressive and mean c. trustworthy and daring d. sad and lonely 4.       What is Maniac Magee’s real name? 5.       The conflict of the story begins when – Guided Practice: Group Work: Students will be divided into groups of four. They will be instructed to create questions to interview a homeless person. The following roles will be given: 1. Leader 2. Writer 3. Discussion Incharge 4. Question framer Students will be asked to create at least 5 questions that they will be asking the guest who does not have a home. Modeling: I will share example questions with students: What does it mean to be homeless? What are some of the health problems that you might have? How do you take care of your health problems? What could the government do to help solve homelessness? What can we do to help solve your problems? I will walk around and facilitate students throughout this activity. I will instruct students to be respectful and courteous to the guest. Interview Session: Guests will be called in and introduced to the class. Students will be asked to start the interview session. Each group will be given time to interview the guest. Whole-Class Discussion: A whole-class discussion will now be held after the guest has left. Following questions will be asked: What are the causes of homelessness? What are the solutions to homelessness? What could the government do to help solve homelessness? What can average people do to help solve homelessness? Development: Pair Work: Students will now be informed that they will be creating a poster creating an awareness program for eradicating the problem of homelessness. I will ask students to think about: Who will view their poster? What messages should the poster convey? How will they know if viewers understood their message? What might be some solutions that can help finish off/eradicate the problem of homelessness in our community? (Solutions might include: Write letters to elected officials that represent your area including mayors and councilors, MLAs and MPs creating awareness of the problems of homeless people in the community. • Fundraise for local projects and programs. Money can be donated to local shelters. • Hold a non-perishable food drive and deliver donations to Food Bank. • Donate items to a local shelter. Items that are frequently needed include blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, men’s and women’s socks, winter jackets and gloves, toques and scarves. (If giving to a shelter, call first to find out what the shelter needs.) Students will be given time to create posters. Follow up: I will post students’ work in a prominent location in the school. I will have students talk to their peers about the posters and what they have learned about homelessness. Development: Students will be handed over a pledge. They will be asked to read the pledge and sign on it as a promise to remember the lesson they have learned throughout the activities. Closure: Food/Clothing Drive: Independent Practice: I will have the kids make a list of all the things that they could give to a homeless person. The list should include clothing, canned goods, books, and school supplies. I will ask the kids what they use every day and what they think a homeless person might need also. I will send a letter home with each child explaining that our class is having a food/clothing drive and we will be collecting items to donate to a homeless shelter. I will have the kids bring in items throughout the week and put them in a cardboard box. Follow up: We will bring the boxes to a local homeless shelter or food bank and drop off the items.			Student Learning Activities: Students will answer a set of questions. Students will listen to instructions and will ask questions to clarify. Students will answer a set of questions. Students will read the text with me. Students will answer a set of questions. Students will work in groups, choose group roles and will frame questions that they will be asking the guest on the given graphic organizer. Students will listen to the questions and will ask questions to clarify. Students will ask questions to the guest. Students will answer a set of questions. Students will listen to the questions and will ask questions to clarify. Students will answer a set of questions. Students will create posters. Students will hang their posters in prominent places around school. Students will sign on the pledge. Students will create a list of all the things that they could give to a homeless person on the given graphic organizer. Students will bring items to be given to a homeless person or to a shelter. Students will visit and donate things to the shelter or to a homeless person.
Student Feedback and Re-Teaching: Creating questions and interview time needs support. I might need the help of co-teachers or support teacher at the time interview will be conducted. Students need to be guided to be courteous and polite at the time of the interview.
Standards & Assessment
Subject EALRs: If your specific content area has not adopted Common Core State Standards as identified on the OSPI website, then the current standards must be noted. You need to note the standard address as well as the description. Be aware that in all lessons that use EALR’s and GLE’s, you need to include Writing and Communication Standards as well as your Content Standards.		Subject GLEs:			Common Core Standards CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.5.3 Use knowledge of the language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1.a Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.
Assessment Strategies First strategy: Brainstorming- rubric for informal class participation Second strategy: Reading aloud- informal assessment Third Strategy: Group Work- Creating questions – graphic organizer and group work rubric Fourth Strategy: Interviewing- rubric for assessing Fifth Strategy: Whole Class Discussion- rubric for informal class participation Sixth Strategy: Pair Work- Poster making- rubric for assessing poster Seventh Strategy: Signing of the pledge- graphic organizer Eighth Strategy: list of items for donations- graphic organizer		Expected Evidence Rubrics for assessing informal and formal assessments. Graphic organizers for group and pair work.			Assessment Commentary These rubrics and graphic organizers will provide me a variety of ways to assess my students both formally and informally. They will also assist me in planning for the next core of lessons.
Student Voice Strategies: First strategy: Brainstorming Second strategy: Reading aloud Third Strategy: Group Work- Creating questions Fourth Strategy: Interviewing Fifth Strategy: Whole Class Discussion Sixth Strategy: Pair Work- Poster making Seventh Strategy: Signing of pledge Eighth Strategy: list of items for donations				edTPA Rubric Self-Assessment: All my activities are planned in such a way that they will cater to the needs of my students. Physical needs will be catered through group work and pair work. Reading buddies and pairs will support them. Activities are diversified so that the lesson does not become monotonous.

Pledge: What can I do?

I _________________________   student of Grade ____________ on date: ______________ promise to remember the following things:

Learn more about the causes of homelessness.

Support local projects that provide homes for people who need them.

Write a letter to the elected officials that represent my area. Personal letters that describe how homelessness affects us and our community. Any problem that a homeless person is facing near my area.

Be respectful and courteous to homeless people.

Volunteer my time and skills – contact local organizations and ask how I can help.

Donate funds to local organizations that are making a difference.

Talk to my family, friends, and colleagues about the causes and solutions for homelessness.

The most important way to help homeless people is to treat them just like you would treat your friends or family. Treat homeless people just like you want to be treated.

Donate!!!!!!!!!

List of things that we could donate are:

1.      ________________________________________________      

2.      ________________________________________________

3.      ________________________________________________

4.      ________________________________________________

5.      ________________________________________________

6.      ________________________________________________

7.      ________________________________________________

8.      ________________________________________________

9.      ________________________________________________

10.  ________________________________________________

Rubric for Assessing Informal Class participation

Name of students	Contributed several times during every class discussion. (A)	Contributed at least once during virtually every class discussion. (B)	Often contributed to class discussion. (C)	Occasionally contributed to class discussion. (D)	Rarely contributed to class discussion. (E)”

Rubric for Assessing Group Work

Group Name: _____________________       Names of Members: ___________________________________

Cooperation	All group members worked collaboratively. They were able to do all of these: be helpful, share, take turns.	Some group members worked collaboratively. They were able to do 2 of these: be helpful, share, take turns.	None of the group members worked collaboratively. They were not able to do all of these: be helpful, share, take turns.
Focus on Activity	Group members stayed on task without reminders from the teacher. They finished the task on time.	Group members stayed on task with very few reminders from teacher. They finished/did not finish the task on time.	Group members did not stay on task and did not finish the task.
Communication	They listened to and shared each other’s ideas.	They usually listened to and shared each other’s ideas.	They did not listen to each other nor did they share each other’s ideas.
Creating Questions	The students clearly created the questions that were required for the interview.	The students created a few questions that were required for the interview.	Students created limited questions that were required for the interview.

Rubric for Assessing Poster

Date: ________________________      Grade: ______________________________   Pair Names: _________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Required Elements	The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information.	All required elements are included on the poster.	All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster.	Several required elements were missing.
Labels	All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 feet away.	Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 feet away.	Many items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 feet away.	Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled.
Graphics - Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. Some borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. One or two borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Attractiveness	The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.	The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.	The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy.	The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.
Grammar	There are no grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 1-2 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 3-4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are more than 4 grammatical/mechanical mistakes on the poster

Rubric for Assessing Interview session

Student Name: _________________________________________________ Date: _____________

Criteria	Needs Improvement	Fair	Good	Excellent
Greeting	Unacceptable behavior and language Unfriendly and not courteous	Used typical behavior and language – did modify behavior Attempts to be courteous to all in the interview setting	Acceptable behavior, well mannered, professionalism somewhat lacking Courteous	Professional behavior and language (handshake, “hello”,” thank you “, etc.) Friendly and courteous
Questioning/ Communication	Speaking is unclear – very difficult to understand the message of what is being said (i.e. mumbling) Volume is inappropriate (i.e. spoke too loudly, too softly)	Speaking is unclear – lapses in sentence structure and grammar Volume is uneven (varied)	Speaking is clear with minimal mistakes in sentence structure and grammar Volume is appropriate	Speaks clearly and distinctly with no lapse in sentence structure and grammar usage; speaks concisely with correct pronunciation Volume conveys business tone
Posture and Eye Contact	Does not look at the person involved; keeps the head down; minimal eye contact; does not have good posture; slouching	Sits up straight; average posture; establishes eye contact with interviewers during the interview 70 -80% of the time	Sits up straight, good posture; establishes eye contact with interviewee during the interview 80 -90% of the time	Sits up straight, excellent posture; looks relaxed and confident; establishes eye contact with interviewee during the interview 90-100% of the time
Politeness	Several times, the student interrupted or hurried the person giving the interviewing; forgot to thank the person(s)	A student interrupted or hurried the interviewee 3-5 times during the course of the interview thanked the person after the interview	A student interrupted or hurried the interviewee 1-2 times during the course of the interview thanked the person after the interview	The student never interrupted or hurried the interviewee and thanked him/her after the interview
General Attitude	Lack of interest and enthusiasm about the interview; passive and indifferent	Somewhat interested in the interview; shows little enthusiasm	Shows basic interest  in the interview; shows some enthusiasm	Appropriately interested and enthusiastic about the interview process