SYLLABUS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES & LANGUAGE ARTS

Term: Spring, 20032

Course Number: 483X

Instructor: Ms. A. Ramsey

Office: 300

Office Phone: (219) 473-4309

E-mail: aramsey@ccsj.edu

Office Hours: Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Friday 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Course Time: Thursday - 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Course Meeting Room: 307

Course Description: This course explores methods and strategies in teaching social studies and language arts in the elementary school. Classroom management, instructional materials, curricula, and measurement and evaluation of outcomes are included. Field

Experiences required.

Prerequisites: EDU 200, 300, 311, and 342

Learning Outcomes/ Competencies:

Students in this course will:

· Teacher candidates will design lesson plans in language arts and social studies for an elementary school curriculum.

· Teacher candidates will select and incorporate instructional strategies and materials.

· Teacher candidates will explore multi-cultural perspectives and backgrounds as they relate to the instructional program.

· Teacher candidates will acquire knowledge of the vocabulary and best practices utilized in effective social studies and language arts instruction.

· Teacher candidates will reflect on the social studies and language arts instructional strategies at the elementary level.

· Teacher candidates will observe practicing teachers to examine critically effective teaching practices.

· Teacher candidates will network with practicing teachers to develop insights into the teaching of social studies and language arts.

· Teacher candidates will implement lessons in a structured classroom environment to develop skills for teaching isolated and integrated subjects.

· Teacher candidates will acquire knowledge about teaching strategies and classroom management through practicum experiences.

RELATED INTASC PRINCIPLES:

#1. The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry and the structures of the disciplines he/she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

#2. The teacher candidate understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development.

#3. The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

#4. The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

#5. The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

#6. The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

#7.The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, the community, and curriculum goals.

# 8. The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.

#9.The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

#10.The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being.

Textbooks:

Tompkins, Gail (2002). Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies. New York: Prentice Hall.

Zarrillo, James (2000). Teaching Elementary Social Studies: Principles and Applications. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Learning Strategies: (Group Discussions, Team and Individual Student Projects, Collaborative Learning, Lecturing…etc.)

Reading assignments: are listed in the timeline section of this syllabus. As minimum preparation for class discussion and participation, students should read the chapters to be examined on that day. Small groups will be assigned projects and activities to present on a weekly basis.

Assignments

· You will be required to read chapters in each text and be prepared to discuss the concepts in class through a Power Point presentation. Peers are required to give feedback about concepts that are addressed.

Ten Points each – Due Weekly as assigned

Beginning with week two

· You will be required to observe three elementary school classrooms during the instruction of language arts or social studies and write a three-page paper summarizing the observation. One classroom will be urban, one suburban and one private or parochial. The summary will need to be broken up into two parts. These parts will need to include a commentary and a reflection. The commentary will include what you saw during the observation and the reflection will include your thoughts about the observation based on your individual teaching philosophy. The commentary and reflection need to compare/contrast between all three observations. You need to include Indiana Academic Standards, INTASC Standards and Developmental Standards that you observed the teacher implementing. The reflection also needs to include your thoughts about what you observed based upon classroom discussions and your individual beliefs about teaching language arts/social studies and literacy. The summary needs to include the date, time, place, subject area, location, and number of students in the classroom. You will be required to complete an official university Classroom Observation form as you complete your experiences.

Forty-five points Due January 29, 2004

• You will be required to develop a lesson plan and implement a language arts, social studies and integrated language arts and social studies lesson for a total of three lessons in a classroom setting. Lesson plans need to include a behavioral objective, learning objective, instructional strategies, and academic standards that will be implemented. During instructional delivery, the implementation of INTASC and Developmental Standards should be evident. You will develop and submit a lesson plan prior to instructional delivery and then submit a one-page reflection about each lesson after implementation. Instructional delivery and reflection submission should follow the timeline listed below.

LA Lesson – Implemented by February 11, 2004

SS Lesson – Implemented by March 11, 2004

LA and SS Integrated Lesson - Implemented by April 1, 2004

Sixty points – Due April 22, 2004

• You will be required to write a summary of the language arts practices focusing on the six language arts modes that will be presented in class. These six language arts modes (listening, talking, reading, writing, viewing and representing were proposed by the National Council of Teachers of English visually and reflect the growing importance of visual literacy. See LA text page 26.

Ten points – Due February 4, 2004

• You will research and present a form of poetry. You will need to develop a lesson plan to accompany the poetry. As you develop a lesson plan you need to include a behavior objective, learning objective and instructional strategies as well as the academic standards that you will address while teaching this lesson.

Twenty points – Due April 1, 2004

• You will create a text set of eight trade books on a social studies topic. A written description/summary of each trade book chosen will need to be completed (1-2 paragraphs on each trade book) with the inclusion of standards that would be addressed as you would implement the lesson in your classroom . You will present one book to the class (discuss your choice of book, tell why you chose the book that you did, and discuss what curriculum concepts and standards that the book addressed.)

Forty points –Due April 8, 2004

• For a final grade (LA) you will construct a lifeline clothesline. You will be required to gather and organize information for an autobiography. You will need to collect items that represent your life and hang them on a clothesline. You need to write about each object (explain how it relates to your life). You will also be required to make a presentation based on a rubric that will be distributed to you during one of your class sessions. The items need to be displayed on a clothesline and you must submit a hard copy of the explanation of each item.

Forty-five points – Due April 15, 2004

• For a final grade in (SS) you will construct a social studies artifact (Ex. – Native American rattle/totem pole, African rain stick, model of an ancient ship, time capsule, Egyptian artifact –Field Museum. You will be required to develop a SS lesson plan to accompany this artifact and make an oral presentation to your peers. Your lesson and presentation will be based on a rubric distributed during one of your class sessions. During your presentation you will discuss Academic and INTASC Standards that would be implemented during the instructional delivery of your lesson. Make sure to include a behavior objective, learning objective and instructional strategies with your lesson plans.

Forty-five points – Due April 22, 2004

Blackboard Assignments

Assignment #1 - The teaching of values and the related topic of moral education has generated a great deal of controversy in education circles. Should values be taught in the elementary classroom? Respond to this statement. Defend your response and include a response to the thoughts of at least two other people in your class. Post your response by January 17, 2004

Ten Points

Assignment #2 – Discuss your thoughts about standards and literacy and how they correlate. Provide your viewpoint and then provide feedback about at least two of your individual classmates. Post your response by February 14, 2004

Ten Points

Assignment # 3 – What are the benefits of integrating social studies with language arts? Provide your viewpoint and then respond to at least two of your classmates’ thoughts. Post your response by March 13, 2004

Ten Points

Grading Scale:

Assignments Points

Attendance/Participation 100 pts. = 20%

Reading Summary 10 pts. = 5%

Language Arts Summary 10 pts = 5%

Trade books 40 pts. = 5%

Poetry activity 20 pts. = 5%

Observations 45 pts. = 10%

Teaching 60 pts. = 15%

Social studies final 60 pts. = 15%

Language arts final 60 pts. = 15%

Blackboard activities 30 pts = 5%

Class Policy on Assignments and Attendance:

Assignments need to be completed as scheduled.

Late assignments will lose points.

Attendance is mandatory, students are expected to be present and on time for all classes. Attendance will impact student grades.

Class Policy on Electronic Devices:

Cell phones and beepers should be turned off or be on vibration during all class sessions.

Course Outline/Class Dates:

Thursday –January 15, 2004 Session I

Introduction

Syllabus

Reading Assignments

Observations

Teaching

Assignments

Participation

SS and LA Video

Traditions

Thursday – January 22, 2004 Session II

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 11 Outline

SS Chapter 1 Outline

Language Arts Standards

Develop LA Lesson

Computer Lab

Traditions

LA Lesson Plans

Thursday – January 29, 2004 Session III

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 1

SS Chapter 2

Traditions

Social Studies Standards

Social Studies Activity

LA Lesson Plan

Computer Lab

Presentations

Discussion

Thursday, February 5, 2004 Session IV

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 2

SS Chapter 3

LA Activity

SS Activity

Discussion

Thursday, February 12, 2004 Session V

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 3

SS Chapter 4

Activity

Research for Graphic Organizers

Computer Lab

Presentation of Graphic Organizers

Thursday, February 19, 2004 Session VI

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 4

SS Chapter 5

Activity

SS Lesson Plan

Computer Lab

Presentations

Discussion

Thursday, February 26, 2004 Session VII

LA Chapter 6

SS Chapter 7

Overview

Videos

Computer Lab

Integrated Lesson Plans

Thursday, March 4, 2004 Session VIII

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 9

SS Chapter 13

Integrated Lesson Plans

Thursday, March 11, 2004 Session IX

Chapter Outlines

LA Chapter 13

SS Chapter 10

Overview

Activity

Thursday, March 18, 2004 Session X

LA Chapter 15

SS Chapter 9

Thursday, March 25, 2004 Session XI

Chapter 8

Guest

Thursday, April 1, 2004 Session XII

Overview

Poetry lesson plans

Thursday, April 8, 2004 Session XIII

Overview

Trade book presentations

Thursday, April 15, 2004 Session XIV

Overview

Language Arts Final

Thursday, April 22, 2004 Session XV

Overview

Social Studies Final

Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner 2001/2002 p.27)

Citation Guidelines:

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.). All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division (DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD withdrawals.

An official withdrawal is recorded as a "W" grade on the student's transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).