Subject - Social Studies, Language Arts, Music

Grade Level - 3

Instructional Plan

I. Title: Celebrating Lauderdale County/Meridian: History through Ballads

II. Grade Level: Third/Fourth

III. Organization:

Whole group

Individual

IV. Objectives:

The children will be able to:

· enhance listening skills during a read-a-loud.

· contribute to a class discussion on the history of their community, what people and events helped make the community what it is by constructing a historical ballad.

· enhance cooperative learning skills by sharing journal responses in groups of two or three.

V. Materials:

Handout on History of Meridian

Handout “Ballad of Meridian”

Handout “America the Beautiful”

Paper

CD player

Pencil

VI. Procedure:

Intro/Motivation:

1. Discuss with children a brief history of ballads and how they were used to preserve histories from ancient times. Traditionally ballads were singing stories passed from mouth to mouth, from one generation to another.

2. Activate prior knowledge by asking, "Who are some famous people from Meridian?"

3. Read the history handouts, “The Queen City.”

Developmental Activities:

1. After reading the story, ask the children again, ""Who are some famous people from Meridian?" List their responses on the top of a chart, under the heading “Notable People.”

2. Then ask "What are historical events that have happened in the past 150 years?" List their responses under Notable Events.

3. Hand out copies of “Ballad of Meridian” Explain verse, chorus, and bridge. Then ask, "What Does the verse do?" List their responses under “Verse.”

4. Then ask what does the chorus do? List their responses under “Chorus.”

5. Then ask what does the bridge do? List their responses under “Bridge.”

6. Break the children into groups of two and three (depending on class size).

7. Pass out “America the Beautiful” lyrics, which has the first line divided into syllables. As song plays on CD, ask students to divide the next lines into syllables

8. Have the children use charts on board to brainstorm for their table’s ballad.

9. Display Chart on Unit Bulletin Board.

VII. Adaptations:

VIII. Evaluation:

Student:

· Observe students during question/answer and writing process. Were all children listening?

· Note students' responses to questions during discussion. Where they able to understand concepts and questions about communities?

· Observe children during group share. Are they working well with each other?

· Check for understanding of lesson by reviewing questions.

Teacher:

· Were the questions asked during discussion too hard? Too easy?

· Did they give valid responses and contribute to chart?

· Did they follow instructions for response and sharing?

IX. Follow up