Similarities and
Differences
in Neighborhoods


Grade: 2
July 1998

Objectives: The students will be able to:

  1. To explore, investigate, and learn about their own neighborhood.
  2. To visit web sites of different neighborhoods around the world.
  3. To correspond with schools/students in other neighborhoods.
  4. To compare/contrast the different neighborhoods in terms of places, people, and responsibilities of people.
  5. To deduce from various experiences that neighborhoods have similarities and differences.

Hawai`i Performance Standards:

Language Arts

  • Speaking and Listening
    ~Seeks clarification of information by asking appropriate questions.
    ~Participates in relevant discussions.
    ~Follow the directions of talk story or topic.
    ~Demonstrate courteous attentive listening. (#1, 2, and 3 use of TRIBES community)
  • Reading and Literature
    ~Read a variety of texts for a variety of purposes.
    ~Take notes or create graphic organizers related to reading.
    ~Connect literature to own life experiences.
  • Writing and Compostion
    ~Express self through writing for various purposed and audiences. (inform, create, and reflect)

Social Studies
  • Geography
    ~Identify and describe geographic characteristics of home, school, and community as oneÕs unique place in space.
  • Economics
    ~Explain how people work within systems for production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
  • Political Science/Citizenship
    ~Explain the purposes of rules and laws in a community.

Dimensions of Learning:
    1. Dimensions 1, 2, and 5 are basic to all learning.
    2. Dimensions 3 and 4 will be the focus of this lesson.
Multiple Intelligences:
    1. Spatial
    2. Linguistic
    3. Interpersonal
    4. Intrapersonal

Inquiry-based (The driving question?):

    1. What makes all neighborhoods similar? (people, places, and responsibilities of people)
    2. What makes our neighborhoods special? (people, places, and responsibilities of people)

Level of Internet Integration:

    1. Keypals
    2. Resource
    3. Mentor
    4. Collaboration
    5. Survey
    6. Cooperative Challenge
    7. Simulations
    8. Publishing
    9. Social Action
    10. Multimedia
    11. Student-Created Projects

How will students move from data to information to insight? (research to analysis to communication)

    1. Collect data from resources. (URLs, books, interviews, and field trips, ...)
    2. Make sense out of data/information.
    3. Students make connections or ahas.

Materials needed:

    1. Social Studies text book: Holt Social Studies
    2. Books/References: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse and Sights of O`ahu
    3. Computer/Net access

URLs and e-mail adresses for contacts:

    Global Neighborhood Links
    • http://www.vc97.attjens.co.jp/VC_39/JAPAN/CAVE/INDEX.HTM
    • http://jin.jcic.or.jp/kidsweb/questions.html
    • http://USAcitylink.com//visitcity.htm
    • http://cyberfair.gsn.org/schafer/indes.html
    • http://www.indo.com/distance/
    • http://www.epals.com/
    • http://web66.coled.umn.edu/schools.html
    `Aiea Community Links
    • http://starbulletin.com/97/02/13/news/story3.html
    • http://starbulletin.com/98/02/16/news/wild.html
    • http://starbulletin.com/98/03/24/business/story2.html
    • http://starbulletin.com/97/02/13/news/story3.html
    • http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/Depts/dlu/gis/nbfl20.htm
    • http://cchnl.oceanic.com/Depts/dlu/gis/nb20.htm
    • http://www.aloha.com/~ais/keiki/park20.htm
    • http://osman1.com/area-web/pearl-n.html

Lesson Activities/Procedures:

  1. Students will explore, investigate, and learn about their neighborhood.
  2. Students will explore, investigate, and learn about a variety of neighborhoods.
  3. Students will organize their data/information.
      ~Create a Neighborhood Matrix, to include topics such as...state/country, population, foods, shelter, occupations, interesting vocabulary, latitude/longitude, ...

  4. Students will analyze their data/information.
      ~Create a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences between any two neighborhoods.

  5. Students will present their insights of different neighborhoods.
      ~Discuss the importance elements necessary of each neighborhood and the uniqueness of each.
      ~Work in a small group to demonstrate a unique quality about the people, places, or responsibilities of people from their E-Pals neighborhood.

  6. Students will publish their insights on a Pearl Ridge Elementary Web page. : )

Writing Components:

    1. letters to E-Pals
    2. matrix cards
    3. venn diagram

Classroom Management for access to computers:

  • Student groupings will alternate the use of the computers in the computer lab with the asssistance of the computer teacher
  • In the classroom, alternating systems of access to computers using computer monitor or peer teaching system
  • Students will be given roles...facilator, mail person, recorder, and time keeper (to be rotated throughout the lesson)
  • Students will peer-teach students and on occasion, older adopt-a-class mentors can assist students in the processes

Assessment:

    Students will create/generate an assessment rubric for oral and written products.
Write to the following project planners:
Janet F.
Kris H.
Sharyl K.
Pam K.