More observation

Last week we did not have nothing special, because the fourth grade students have the same good behavior. They do not have a lot of interest in classes. But, the students usually to do the tasks and discuss at classes. However, me and Deise have done a presentation about some brazilian elements, like music. Deise translated a samba song and we put the children to listen.

Visitation for observation

Last week I went to Clarke Middle School. It was really interesting, because the students were discussing about Economic and Political Systems like Comunism, Socialism and Capitalism. They described some characteristics about those Systems and listed some countries which used them.
Another day, last friday, the students did not have classes. They went to the school stadium and had a mexican party. The School prepared a kind of celebration about mexican culture. After some explanations, a mexican band started to play typical songs for that country, and the and they invited us (brazilians) to dance samba for everybody. The students gat so happy and started to dance with us. It was fantastic.

Proposal

Problem
Based on teacher’s argue, CM School has a lot of students from foreign countries. However, many native students do not live in harmony with them. They have prejudice, and do not respect foreigner people. The Social Studies’ teacher is trying to challenge her students to do a virtual trip in which they can see, and know some aspects important about culture, society and economic situation from listed places like United States (Athens), Brazil (Fortaleza), Mexico (Gualamajara), and Peru (Lima).
Curriculum: Social Studies Skills - Fourth Grade
MAP AND GLOBE SKILLS
1. use cardinal directions
2. use intermediate directions
3. use a letter/number grid system to determine location
4. compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps
5. use inch to inch map scale to determine distance on map
6. use map key/legend to acquire information from, historical, physical, political, resource, product and economic maps
7. use a map to explain impact of geography on historical and current events
8. draw conclusions and make generalizations based on information from maps
9. use latitude and longitude to determine location
10. use graphic scales to determine distances on a map
11. compare maps of the same place at different points in time and from different perspectives to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize about human activities
12. compare maps with data sets (charts, tables, graphs) and /or readings to draw conclusions and make generalizations

Schedule Draft:
September:
08 - Class observation, prediction about Brazil's features
15 - Class observation
22 - Class observation
29 - Understanding North and South America through maps
October:
06 - Webquest + map activity about United States
13 - Webquest + map activity about Mexico
20 - Webquest + map activity about Peru
27 - Webquest + map activity about Brazil
Social Resp. / Multiculturalism
I will try to motivate the students to investigate economical, social and cultural aspects from listed places, to improve their knowledge, and make them reflexive persons, inputting some values like respect.
Group Composition
Daniele Facundo and Deise Pequeno

Scenario

i. Context
I will offer a multicultural course module for fourth grade students about the United States (Athens), Brazil (Fortaleza), Mexico (Guadalajara), and Peru (Lima), because, according to their teacher, the students from CM School do not value or respect people from foreign countries. Consequently, I will challenge them to investigate some worthwhile characteristics and problems about cultural, social, and economic aspects in these places. By doing so, I hope the students will learn some ethical values like respect for people in other cultures.
ii. Relevant Principle
The principle of learning that I have chosen is the sociocultural perspective because the students can construct meanings by interacting with the social environment and context. First of all, the students can do a virtual trip using webquest to find information about those places. By having opportunities to interact with students from other cultures and to discuss their cultures, students will learn respect for their foreign classmates
iii. Application Strategy
Based on the Sociocultural principle of learning, the strategy is to develop students’ abilities in perception, reflection, and critical discussion.
A. I will conduct a task analysis to reflect with teachers from CM School about prejudice against foreign students in that school.
B. I will design a project that requires students to search about the listed places, while they have to solve a challenge in the web quest which I will elaborate.
C. I will make lesson plans to show them a lot of worthwhile aspects from those places and to help them understand how important it is to know about different cultures and to live with respect.
D. At the end of the project, the students will write a composition describing their trips and reflecting on cultural problems. By doing so, they will begin to value diversity, which will help them to respect students from different cultures.

Classroom's Observation

Last friday, 09/08 I went to Clarke Middle School. I arrived there about 11 am, because I had a Ms. Gills's feedback by email. Then, I had lunch with her, and her childrens there. After this, I talked to Ms. Gills about the project. She got surprised, at the same time she loved my and Deise ideas. So, I went to the fourth grade classroom and indroduced myself for the children. Also, I spent 50 minutes talking about Brazil, because the children started to asked me a lot of questions. Finally, I had defined the project with the teacher, at the same time I got close to fourth grade students. It was a great experience.

School's meeting

Last friday (Sep, 1rt, 2006) I visited Clark Middle School. I have met two teachers, who teachs history and the other one teachs life science. I decided to work my project with Deise Pequeno and we are thinking about a project that makes a conexion between Brazil X USA. Then, after the brazilian students introduced themselves, we started to talk about our ideas. The history's teacher is interested in teach some geographic and cultural aspects from South America, specially Brazil. At the same time she wants to teach the same categories about United States, specially Georgia. So, I think me and Deise can do a link with her.