Social Studies – The Blue Brain Teacher

10 Fun and Creative Ways to Present Your Country Research Project

Selma — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 02:20:59 +0000

Research projects are more than just an opportunity to gather and present information—they’re a chance to showcase creativity, critical thinking, and storytelling skills. A unique presentation not only grabs attention but also helps your audience engage with the material on a deeper level. Whether you’re a student preparing for class or a teacher guiding your students, these creative ideas cater to various learning styles and provide opportunities to practice skills like collaboration, design, and performance. Let’s dive into ten fun and innovative ways to present a country research project!

1. Create a Travel Brochure

Transform your research into a vibrant travel brochure that invites readers to explore your chosen country. Highlight key landmarks, delicious foods, and cultural traditions. Use catchy headlines, beautiful imagery, and concise descriptions to capture the essence of the country. Apps like Canva make it easy to design professional-looking brochures. It condenses research into digestible pieces while honing layout and design skills – that is a win win!

2. Design a Poster

Posters are classic yet effective tools for showcasing your findings. Use visuals such as the country’s flag, maps, and famous symbols to create an eye-catching display. Add short text sections for important facts about history, geography, or cultural highlights. Why not include QR codes linking to additional resources like videos or slideshows for a tech-savvy touch.

3. Build a Digital Presentation

Harness the power of technology with tools like Google Slides, PowerPoint, or Canva. Create an engaging digital presentation filled with images, animations, and embedded videos. Digital presentations allow you to organize your information clearly while incorporating multimedia elements. It combines visual, auditory, and interactive elements, catering to various learning preferences.

4. Make a Cultural Recipe Card

Bring the flavors of the country to life by sharing a traditional recipe. Design a recipe card that includes the dish’s history, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Pair it with photos of the dish or even a sample if you’re presenting in person! Why not film a short cooking demo to accompany your recipe.

5. Create a Scrapbook

Compile your findings into a beautifully crafted scrapbook. Use printouts, hand-drawn illustrations, and handwritten captions to bring your research to life. You can dedicate each page to a specific theme, such as landmarks, famous figures, and traditional attire. Scrapbooks allow for a highly personalized and tactile presentation.

6. Record a Travel Vlog or Podcast

Step into the shoes of a travel influencer by creating a vlog or podcast about the country. Record yourself sharing fascinating facts, narrating your “visit” to famous landmarks, or interviewing “locals” (classmates acting as citizens). Add sound effects or music for an immersive experience. This format combines storytelling and tech skills, making the project feel modern and engaging.

7. Host a Cultural Fair Booth

Turn your project into an interactive experience by setting up a cultural fair booth. Include visuals like posters or a diorama, provide food samples, and share quick facts about the country’s culture. You could even play traditional music to create a complete sensory experience. Partner with classmates to create an entire “world fair” with booths for multiple countries.

8. Perform a Cultural Skit

Acting out a scene can be a fun and memorable way to showcase your research. Create a short skit that highlights the country’s traditional customs, holidays, or a slice of daily life. Use props and costumes for an authentic touch. This approach is interactive and engaging, helping your audience connect with the material emotionally.

9. Craft a Pop-Up Book

Channel your inner artist by designing a pop-up book. Use creative paper engineering techniques to feature iconic landmarks, animals, or cultural items in 3D. Add informative captions to guide readers through your book. It’s a unique and interactive format that’s sure to impress and engage.

10. Develop a Timeline

Create a visual timeline that highlights key historical events from the country’s past. Use illustrations, photos, or icons to make it visually appealing. You can present it as a physical poster, a digital timeline using tools like Canva, or even a scroll for added creativity. Add a “future” section with predictions or hopes for the country based on your research.

Creative presentations transform the way we share and absorb information. They make learning more enjoyable and memorable, turning a traditional research project into an exciting exploration. Whether you’re showcasing your findings through art, technology, or performance, these ten ideas provide endless inspiration for your next project. So, pick one (or mix a few!), and let your creativity shine!

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6 Fun and Engaging Activities for Your Country Research Project

Selma — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:55:22 +0000

Country Research Activities

Country research projects can be a powerful tool for helping students understand the diversity of cultures and the world around them. This type of project offers a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in another culture, learn about different customs and traditions, and broaden their perspectives. To make sure that your students are enjoying the process while they learn, it is important to incorporate fun and engaging activities into your country research unit. Here are six ideas to get you started.

I really like this project because it is an easy way to introduce students to different people, cultures and countries. Not a lot of people get to experience travel to other countries when they are young – this is the next best thing!

Virtual Tour

Take your students on a virtual tour of the country they are researching. Use Google Earth or other virtual tour tools to give students a visual experience of the country. I have used National Geographic on oculus. Here are some other resources to get your students excited and learning about the world.

Cultural Presentation

Have students present what they have learned about the country’s culture, including traditional customs, music, and food. Create a museum tour, where each student has a display on their desk representing their country and their research. Invite family to the event.

Music & Dance

Play traditional music from the country and have students learn and perform a traditional dance.

Arts & Crafts

Encourage students to create art projects related to the country they are researching. This could include creating traditional clothing, designing flags, or painting scenes from the country.

Drama

Have students learn a traditional theater art form or perform a traditional skit from the country that they researched.

Geography & Tech

Create an interactive map for students to use as they learn about the country’s geography and location. Have students mark important landmarks, cities, and geographical features.

These activities are designed to keep your students fully engaged and having fun while they learn about different cultures and the world. By integrating these activities into your country research unit, you will not only make the project more enjoyable for your students, but you will also increase the likelihood that they will remember what they have learned.

Incorporating a mix of hands-on activities, creative projects, and interactive experiences will help keep students motivated and interested throughout the project. Whether they are creating a virtual tour of the country they are studying, designing a cultural festival, or cooking a traditional dish, students will be learning in an engaging and memorable way.

If you are looking for more direction on how to plan and execute a successful country research project, be sure to check out my country research project for kids packet. This comprehensive resource includes everything you need to get started, including a student introduction letter, a detailed rubric for assessment, and a step-by-step guide for conducting research. Whether you are a seasoned teacher or a beginner, this packet will help make your country research project a success.

I used this during the World Cup for my students to become more engaged! We worked on our country project while we played the world cup in the background. Students got to choose a country that was currently still in the running, and we made a bracket to see whose country would win!

Jacqueline B., Country Research Packet

Such an engaging resource that was seamlessly integrated into our curriculum! Very little hassle, but with great outcomes! Thank you!

Ashley L., Country Research Packet

This resource was amazing. I needed something to connect to our curriculum for writing about countries and this was it. It matched up perfectly, but honestly presented better writing than what would have come from just our curriculum.

Lisa J., Country Research Packet

Christmas Around the World

Selma — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 06:30:49 +0000

Christmas Around the World

Whether a person is celebrating this national holiday by themselves or with family, this annual celebration is one of the biggest celebrations of the year. Let’s take a look at how various countries celebrate the holiday known as Christmas.

What is Christmas?

Christmas is a festival celebrated by the Christian faith to mark the birth of Jesus. The word itself is a shortened term for “mass on Christ’s day.” Years before, the word Yule was used that was derived from Germany’s or Anglo-Saxon’s geōl that refers to a feast of the winter solstice. Since its introduction, various cultures have celebrated it in their own way.

How Christmas is Celebrated Globally

Australia

Children of this country celebrate this public holiday in the middle of their summer holidays. Yep, you heard that right! Christmas for them is summer! They make use of a native tree called Christmas Bush paired with Poinsettia plants to decorate their homes. On the 26th, they celebrate Boxing Day which falls on the day right after Christmas day. It is also known as St. Stephen’s holiday for those who were killed as a martyr as a missionary in Sweden. When it comes to food, they include Christmas pudding, pavlova, and trifle with the traditional Christmas dinner.

Germany

Not only do they celebrate the 25th of December in this country, but also the 24 days before it. It is called Advent, which they use various calendars or an Advent Kranz, a wreath made out of fir branches with four candles, to mark them. In this country, picking out the right Christmas tree is very important as it has been a tradition since the late Middle Ages. They also have Christmas Markets where various merchants come together to sell their holiday wares, especially glass ornaments. They also celebrate the 26th of December, which is known locally as Zweiter Feiertag (‘second celebration’). For their Christmas meal, they put out stollen, a fruit bread, paired with carp or goose.

Mexico

They celebrate this national holiday between December 12th to January 6th. However, these are jam-packed with lots of traditions that retell the story of Jesus’ birth. This includes the house-to-house procession known as the Posada, holding a comedic play known as the Pastorelas, and getting presents with eating a special cake on el Dia de los Reyes. They consider the nativity scene, locally called nacimiento, as their main holiday decoration over the Christmas tree. On the night of Christmas Eve, their Christmas meal includes pozole (a kind of soup with hominy, chicken or pork, chillies, and greens), tamales, bacalao (salt cod), and ensalada nochebuena (Christmas Eve salad).

Netherlands

What this country is known for during the Christmas holiday is December 5, where St. Nicholas brings the children their presents, followed by his day the next day. Parties are also held on the evening of the 5th, which features lots of games and holiday snacks such as pepernoot (biscuits made with cinnamon and spices). Christmas Day, however, is rather celebrated peacefully through a Church service and a family meal. They refer to Christmas Day as Eerste Kerstdag and the day after it as Tweede Kerstdag. Tweede Kerstdag is when families visit their relatives and make use of a gourmetten, a little stove where families can make their own meal while seated.

Sweden

One Christmas holiday they celebrate is known as St. Lucia’s Day. It is done on the 13th of December and is honor for a young Christian girl who was killed for her faith and is known to bring food to persecuted Christians in Rome while carrying a light on her head. During this day, lussekatts, special buns that are made with saffron and raisins, are eaten. They also hang out Advent Stars on a window, a red star with seven or nine points with a light inside. On Christmas Eve, they have a julbord, a lunchtime buffet that includes cold meats, Christmas ham (julskinka), and janssons frestlese (a baked potato dish with fish, cream, and onion).

Palestine

Palestine is the birthplace of Jesus. There are many wonderful celebrations held throughout the month in all of Palestine from Bethlehem to Gaza! Palestinian Christians put up trees, sing Christmas songs, and celebrate the month eating delicious date cookies called maamoul. They are shaped in the shape of a small donut and they are filled with date paste that has been flavored with nutmeg and cinnamon. I am told is that shape to represent the thorn crown of Jesus. Each family makes a feast for Christmas eve as well as Christmas lunch that is had after going to church. Then the children celebrate opening presents and receiving money from the elders in the family.

Philippines

Even if the official celebration of the holiday is between December 16th to the first Sunday of January, various shops start playing holiday-themed songs during September. They too celebrate Advent with wreaths like German and Sweden do, due to the influences brought by the Spaniards when they arrived around the 1500s. Their version of the Advent Star is known as a parol, which is a star lantern made out of a bamboo frame, cellophane paper, and lights. On Christmas Eve, families attend a mass in the evening followed by a midnight feast called the Noche Buena. After attending mass, two kiln-cooked pastries are being sold. The first is a purple sticky rice pastry known as the puto bumbong while a soft yellow cake topped with salted egg is known as the bibingka.

USA

Due to being home to various people from various cultures, how they celebrate Christmas is influenced by these cultures. Their customs are said to resemble how other countries such as The Netherlands, Mexico, and France. They decorate their homes with lights, make gingerbread houses, drink eggnog, put up Christmas shops, and go to Christmas mass. In some communities, they hold a Mummer’s Day parade on New Year’s where people dress up in colorful dances for a parade filled with music, dancing, and cheers.

As one of the rich holiday traditions celebrated in the world, Christmas means a lot from country to country. Whether it would involve visiting church, putting up a nativity scene display, and putting up evergreen trees, this holiday season brings any family together and spending time with each other. Teaching this lesson to our students will help them appreciate various cultural traditions around the public holiday while sharing the holiday joy to everyone.

10 Tips of Media Education for Kids

Selma — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 06:30:37 +0000

Compared to previous generations, today’s students’ attention spans have to get through the various media they encounter in their daily lives. From the news reports their parents watch to the Tiktok videos their friends share in school, they can be exposed to it at a young age. Here are tips on how to help students be media savvy.

What is Media Education?

Media is defined as a plural word that refers to all the “agencies of mass communication.” This means that it refers to any type of communication we use to deliver a message to others in our daily lives. Media education, on the other hand, is studying these messages and giving awareness to how people act and react in their daily lives.

Why is it important?

Including media education in your curriculum is important due to the following reasons:

Improve their critical thinking skills – looking through the hidden messages in media is a great critical thinking exercise.
Enable more interactive learning – teaching them about the effect of media allows you to make use of them to make more engaging content for the classroom.
Spot the media’s point-of-view – gives your students a way to understand a media’s message through its intended receiver.

How to Teach Media Education

Here’s my list of activities that you can do in your classroom to spread media awareness:

1) Give them questions to think about while browsing

Ask them to always keep a certain set of questions in mind while looking through media. For example, if it’s an influencer ad for a makeup brand, let them go through the following questions: “Does it have the same effect on my skin as the model does?” “Do I have to buy this makeup?” “Why would I buy this makeup?”

2) Have compare-contrast activities

These activities involve comparing the situations depicted in media and in real life. For example, you can show your students an advertisement of a cleaning cloth and compare how well it cleaned in a science experiment.

3) Hold discussions on the differences of what’s on media and what’s happening in reality

Aside from the demonstration above, you can also discuss stereotypes discussed in media. You can get it from popular shows, movies, or cartoons.

4) Show them what algorithms and media interactions mean for them

Most digital media involve algorithms that track your interactions with posts and search results in order to recommend other media. For example, if one of your students always watched a certain gaming Youtuber, Youtube tends to recommend his older videos or other creators playing the same games as that Youtuber.

5) Warn them of dubious and materialistic ads

This is related to the previous tip on comparing stereotypes in media. For example, if influencers dress a certain way, encourage the wearing of make-up, your students might feel uncomfortable that they aren’t. Advise them that these messages are intended to get more people to BUY but you don’t have to follow through their suggestions.

6) Have a trivia quiz around which posts are safe or not

As a way to make media education more interactive, hold a trivia quiz on recent media you can find. You can ask your students to judge whether it is a safe message or not. An alternate quiz would be to have the fastest person to find the hidden message of the media.

7) Introduce them to language the media use

You can form vocabulary lists centered on certain media stereotypes or what words they use to introduce a certain product. For example, you can teach them words such as “clear,” “plump,” and “brightening” when viewing media around skincare.

8) Have critical-thinking activities after watching their favorite cartoon

As an icebreaker, let your students watch an episode of a cartoon. Then, ask them questions on what they learned and what the characters were trying to say.

9) Teach them how to approach sensitive media posts

Sometimes, your students might encounter a post that contains sensitive content. To prepare them, teach them how to report its sensitive nature to the site they are viewing it on and find ways to hide such content in the future. That way, they can remember what to do and avoid having unpleasant experiences while watching or seeing anything.

10) Play a game using logos of famous brands

Brands are one of the many symbols that are used in media to identify themselves as a company providing for a product or service. Make it a fun, engaging topic of discussion by letting your students guess as many companies as they can. After that, you can continue talking about how each company handles their advertisements and how they present themselves.

It is important that your students understand the various media they see everyday. As young as they are now, now is the time to learn about harmful or misleading messages they encounter in the media. To avoid this, having an appropriate plan in media education as part of your curriculum is a great step towards having well-informed adults of tomorrow.

Predicting, Summarizing, Figurative Language & Text to Self Connections with Your Name is a Song Mentor Text

Selma — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 21:00:26 +0000

I am the daughter of Turkish immigrants. My parents came to the United States with a dream, like all immigrants. They brought their food, their customs, and traditions to add to the rich historical immigrant tapestry of the USA. One of the most important choice parents make is having and naming their children. When we name our children, we do it with so much care. Our names mean something to our parents. Although our names our given by our parents they help define us as we grow.

MY PERSONAL TEXT TO SELF CONNECTION

Everyone deserves to be proud of the name they are given. This is hard to do when your name is not “common” enough. That it is too unique and hard to pronounce. You feel uncomfortable. My name is Selma. When I was growing up, I wanted to be a Sarah. An Amy. A Jennifer. Anything but a Selma.

I promised myself that when I grow up I will name my kids the “trending” names. I wasn’t going to have my kids teased because of their name. But as you grow older you start to appreciate your roots. You appreciate and you embrace your culture. It happens on some level. I can proudly tell you today – that when I named my children I named them names with meaning to me. My daughter’s name is the Turkish word for sea, so that she can remember that she can be as strong or as serene as she wants to be. My son is named after his grandfather – a beautiful Arabic tradition of naming the first born son after their paternal grandfather.

YOUR NAME IS A SONG

The book I want to introduce to you today is “Your Name is a Song” by Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow. A book about a girl learning to celebrate her name and showing others how special all our names are.

Skill #1: PREDICTING

Predicting is what good readers do when they read. Predicting helps you deepen your thinking and better comprehend what you read. When we predict we think ahead about what is going to happen – revising and refining our predictions as we get more information. Have students look at the cover of the book and describe what they see and what they wonder. You can use the sentence stem:

I see… I wonder…

Ask who they think the characters are.

Thinking about the characters and the title of the book, have them explain what they think the characters problem will be.

I think the character(s) will _____ because …

When you start reading the text. Encourage students to explain what happened to that point and what they think will happen. You can use the following sentence stem:

Since _____ happened, I think that _______ will happen.

Skill #2: SUMMARIZING

“Somebody Wanted But So” is a good way to help students organize their summary. This strategy helps students pick out what are the most important parts of the text. After students read the book they then decide who the somebody is, what that person or character wanted, but what happened that prevented it from happening, and so how they overcame or how it all ended.

SKILL #3: TEXT-TO-SELF

Good readers make personal connections to what they read. The more the student can connect with the text the more it will help with meaning and understanding. When we stop and help students make meaningful connections to the text, we not only help them improve their comprehension skills, but we help them to grow as people.

Skill #4: METAPHOR & SIMILE

In the book “Your Name is a Song” the author uses metaphor and simile with the names presented in the book to compare them and show the uniqueness and beauty of all names. A good activity to do is to have students come up with a metaphor or simile for their name.

COMPREHENSION AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

I have included questions to help your students dig deeper for meaning and to brighten up your classroom discussion. Here are the questions, which are in a printable form in the download.

In the beginning of the story, why was Kora-Jalimuso upset?
How are names like songs?
The teacher tried saying Kora-Jalimuso’s name, but it got stuck in her mouth. Later the girls pretended to choke on her name. Why would the author use those words?
When Kora-Jalimuso and her mom were walking, her mom said that names must be said from the heart. What do you think she meant?
Kora-Jalimuso’s mom said names have fire and they are strong. What does that mean?

Included in my free download are also word wall cards and a classroom name activity. This book is really a great book and I recommend everyone get a copy for their classroom or home library. Names are beautiful and meaningful. Always remember… Your name is a Song.

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Where in the World? A mini geography for kids unit

Selma — Wed, 20 Jun 2018 18:55:58 +0000

Free Geography for Kids Activities

Geography is an interesting subject and little kids are always fascinated by the size and breadth of our planet. A book I enjoy reading is Where do I live by Neil Cheshnow

Make a paper globe
http://joachimesque.com/globe/

Identifying Parts of the Earth

It is great to just look at the globe and help children to identify that the world is made up of land and water. Using the sheet in the freebie they can then color the land and water. These are specifically geography for kids activities!

Zooming In

After the students have had enough time exploring the globe and discussing its make up. Then it is a good time to talk about the continents and help them to identify the continent they live on. A great way to explain to them their place in the world is to tell them that we are going to zoom in on where they live slowly. So first they live on earth, than you will look at the continent, then their country, state, city, neighborhood, home, and finally their own bedroom.

Geography Skills for Kids (Maps)

Since this mini unit is for first grade, the focus is on understanding directions and identifying the address using maps. You can download a map of Tina’s neighborhood and practice directions, intersections, etc.

Mini Book

Finally, the students will complete a mini book. Just download to grab your FREE geography for kids unit!

Country Research Project for Kids

Selma — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 13:38:03 +0000

We can’t look at the world in terms of little segments of people anymore. The world is becoming more and more global and we are all becoming global citizens. More and more people are working remotely and working with people from all different cultures and backgrounds. It is important that we teach our students to embrace and respect differences and to become aware of the world outside their own neighborhoods, communities, state, and country. One way to allow students the chance to learn about and interact with the world is through a country research project. We are so lucky because the internet can allow us to temporarily immerse ourselves in another country. Country research can be carried out in so many ways and I hope that this article gives you some ideas on your country research unit.

Understanding the Why of Country Research

First of all, other countries are learning about us and there is power in knowledge. Children are generally curious about other countries and cultures so it isn’t hard to get them excited about this project but sometimes we need to help them see the importance of the research they will conduct. Here are some points you might want to discuss before starting your unit.

learning about other cultures helps us to understand differences
learning about cultures helps us to understand that there are different ways of doing things and it is ok
learning about countries helps us to see how people form culture because of the location of their country
learning about countries helps us to learn more about our own country
learning about countries makes us more globally aware and knowledgeable
learning about countries helps us appreciate the world because in the end, we are all human beings – we all love, laugh, cry and bleed

Helping Students Choose a Country to Study

Some students will have no trouble choosing which country to research but some will struggle. You can help them by reminding them that they might want to research a country their ancestors come from, somewhere they always wanted to visit, a country whose food they love to eat, when all else fails they can spin a globe and put a finger on it! There is also this great website that generates random countries that the student can choose from.

Setting the Tone for Country Research

As with all projects, the students need to buy into the reason why they are researching a country, why it is important and what they need to do. They also need to be aware of how the project will be assessed. In my packet, there is a student introduction letter with a tear-off bottom for the student to write their country and turn it into you so that you can make a record of it. It also includes a rubric.

Conducting Country Research

The next part is helping them to conduct the research. In general, when elementary students are conducting research it helps to give them a lot of guidance. My packet guides students in researching relevant and important information regarding the country with enough fun fact-finding to keep it fun and engaging. You can download the GOOGLE SLIDES document for free to use in your classroom. It helps by giving students a space to save their research media allowing them quick access when they prepare their final project and paper.

Some areas of research are the countries location, geographical features, climate, capital, major cities, political leaders, currency, historical figures, cultures such as music, food, customs and traditions.

I think this is one of the most important units in elementary school because the roots will run deep and students will remember their learning for a long time. When the world is becoming increasingly globally aware we are helping our students to grow and learn beyond their own boundaries.

Love that this provides a framework for learning but still allows for students’ choice and ownership in their learning!

Melissa P., Country Research Project

What an amazing set of open-ended activities! I love the way kids learn certain facts about their chosen country, but also choose some fun facts of their own to share. This project touches upon so many skills and content areas. A must-have! Thanks for sharing. :) Anne

Anne G., Country Research Project

I love this research packet! Each page is organized in a way that makes searching for information fun and relevant. There is a rubric included which was fantastic in setting expectations of the project from the very beginning. There are fact sheets to use or graphic organizers. There is a world map included to locate your country. This packet had everything I had hoped for and more. I can’t remember being so satisfied with the entirety of a download as I am with this one. So So wonderful!

Audrey H., Country Research Project

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Martin Luther King Jr. : Activities to Celebrate MLK

Selma — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 00:00:03 +0000

Martin Luther King Jr. Peace, Equality, Justice

Helping Children Understand Abstract Concepts

Abstract concepts are important to teach to elementary students. Teaching children to be abstract thinkers that can reflect on events and ideas, and on attributes and relationships separate from concrete experiences and materials is daunting but is also a lot of fun.

Most theories assume that our ability to learn abstract concepts depends solely on linguistic skills, for example, we learn the meaning of freedom by hearing or reading about it. Some theories indicate that emotional development also plays a critical role in learning abstract concepts. This may put children with a reading problem and children on the autism spectrum at a disadvantage.

So when learning about abstract concepts such as peace, equality, and justice it is important to use as many angles as possible and engage as many senses as possible. This is why I love using Martin Luther King Jr. as the mental hook. He is a hero in many respects and embodies these abstract concepts so well. This blog post will take you through how I teach and celebrate MLK’s life as well as the concepts of peace, equality, and justice.

At each developmental level, your student develops his or her ability to think abstractly by using two basic tools, by using mental hooks and patterns. Mental hooks (schema) is giving a concrete experience or in this case a person, MLK, in which students can “hang” bits and pieces of information on. As students cognitive abilities develop, they are able to use mental operations which will allow them to think about abstract concepts without having to think more abstractly about relationships or patterns without actual concrete experiences or objects.

In my MLK resource, we will use google docs to record information and learn about MLK through the use of video and classroom discussion and demonstration.

Peace, Equality, and Justice
Students have learned about Martin Luther King Jr. by third grade in one form or another so I start off with the anticipatory set of students putting together a virtual puzzle of MLK. The should instantly recognize him and enter the information into the slide. Then they will take their time to write what they know and what they want to know in the KWL chart.

Then comes the fun part. The discussion of the abstract– ohhhhhh!!!

After the students had time to think about and write their own idea of what peace, equality, and justice mean. Open the table for discussion, display the following posters to help get the discussion started.

PEACE

What are the first steps to world peace?

Is it important to think about peace?

How peaceful are you?

What would it take for the world to be more peaceful?

Would people need to change how they think, for the world to be peaceful?

EQUALITY

What is equality?

Do you know of any inequalities right now?

What do you do when you see inequality?

Do you think we will reach a state of equality?

Does anyone have more rights than you?

JUSTICE

What is justice?

How can you be just?

Can you compare justice and equality?

These questions do not have to be done straight away but woven into this mini-unit, using MLK as the mental hook. Once students have written their own definitions, have them refer to this slide and add information as they learn more about this abstract concept through the study of Martin Luther King Jr. It is always good to introduce and tinker with the concept then introduce the mental hook, in this case, MLK.

The next set of slides will take the student on a journey of learning about MLK and how he embodied these abstract concepts. Students will refer to videos that explain the life of MLK, they will complete Martin Luther King Jr. Life Timeline, really think about his DREAM and write their own. This mini-lesson integrates abstract thinking, MLK, and technology. Students will have fun as they learn and grow with this short but fun mini-lesson.

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