Page 303 - Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students 4th Edition

CHAPTER 13
How Can the Curriculum Be Expanded and Made More Powerful through Homework? 275
The collaborative learning that occurs outside the classroom has the potential for improving in-class participation by more enlightened learners of all abilities and for cre- ating a more informed cadre of human resources sprinkled throughout the community. Students can have opportunities to become involved with their parents and other adults in positive and productive relationships, and as a bonus these adults will have opportu- nities to enjoy non-threatening and personally rewarding involvement in their children’s education.
Taking Advantage of the Students’ Diversity by Using
It as a Learning Resource
Too often, differences among students are viewed as problems. However, these differ- ences can be used as assets: as opportunities for students to begin with what they know best and link their knowledge to the experiences of others. For example, one of the goals of a food unit might be to develop an understanding and appreciation of the role that culture plays in determining what foods are eaten and when. As a home assignment, family members could be encouraged to discuss the foods they eat that are based on their culture. Encourage families to seek out friends whose cultures are different and learn about their practices.
Consider your students as a resource. Create a classroom census whereby each student indicates the size (how many family members) and composition (age and gender of family members). Compare the range of families represented and use the differences as a springboard for a discussion about family.
Goals for a unit on family might include helping students to understand and appreciate the contributions of their ancestors, including some of their family’s cus- toms and traditions or those they have embraced as the result of living with their adoptive parents or with other caregivers. For the home assignment, students could interview an older family member or friend about his or her ancestors, make a family tree, talk about special things learned from the individuals represented on the family tree, and describe a family custom or tradition that has been passed down from one generation to another that is still enjoyed regularly or on special occasions. This activ- ity would elicit an impressive and useful range of information for students to share with the class.
One of the goals of a shelter unit might be to develop an appreciation for the opportunities that people may have to exercise choice in meeting their shelter needs and wants. Students can be encouraged to discuss with their families the choices they have made regarding where to live and why. In one classroom we observed, this activ- ity stimulated a lot of in- and out-of-class discourse, and on follow-up surveys, family members indicated that the exercise got their children to think more broadly about why they live where they do, where they would like to live and why, and the trade- offs associated with renting versus buying. Families also indicated that they had never before thought of explaining their choices to their children. One said, “The assignment gave me a forum for giving reasons for my actions. In fact, I could remove what I’d formerly called guilt” (Alleman & Brophy, 1998).
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.