4.+Unit+Activity+-+DI+by+Readiness

Unit Activity 2: "Great Depression Literacy Circles" Differentiation by Readiness []

__**Lesson Goals and Objectives:**__ 1) Students will be able to identify and explain causes of the Great Depression. 2) Students will be able to explain the social impacts the Great Depression had on the United States. 3) Students will be able to evaluate how the U.S. government’s response to societal problems reflects the needs, wants, and demands of its citizens. 4) Students will be able to analyze primary and secondary sources to better understand the Great Depression.

__**Pre-Assessment Activity:**__ SRI = Scholastic Reading Inventory: This is an educational program that allows teachers to measure reading comprehension. The SRI software provides data on students' reading level and growth over time to help teachers differentiate instruction. 

__**Core Activity:**__ Students will be divided into groups of five. Each group will be assigned to read a section out of the following books: __Children of the Dust Bowl__ by Jerry Stanley, __The Worst Hard Time__ by Timothy Egan or __Freedom From Fear__ by David M. Kennedy. Students will be grouped based on reading abilities and readiness. Students will read and discuss the reading in their literacy circle group. Each group member will be assigned a specific role and task in their literacy circle. These roles include: the discussion director, the connector, the summarizer, the illustrator, and the wordsmith. Each literacy role has a specific worksheet that needs to be completed by the student assigned that task. The literacy groups will use these worksheets as a guide to lead into their reading discussions and to keep them on task. Each group will present their assigned reading section to the rest of the class using a type of power point presentation (Microsoft Power Point, Photo Story, or Prezi Presentation). The type of power point presentation the student is assigned is based on the ability groups.


 * __Modification of Core Task: Tiered Assignment Table - Great Depression Literacy Circle Lesson Plan tiered by Readiness, Interest, and Learning Profile for 9th Grade Students.__**
 * **Group A: Below-Level Learners**

1) At Middle School Level or Below 2) Students will read the book __Children of the Dust__ __Bowl__ which is at a lower reading level. 3) Students will read a shorter section of the book. 4)This book has photographs in it to give students a visual. 5) Students will identify 2-3 events that led America into the Great Depression. 6) Identify 2-3 social impacts. 7) Create a Microsoft Power Point Presentation. 8) May create fewer slides. 9) May create a less creative and detailed power point presentation. || **Group B: At-Level Learners**

1) At 9th Grade Level 2) Students will read the book __The Worst Hard Time__ which is at a 9th grade reading level. 3) There are no visuals in this book. 4) Students will read a longer section from this book than Group A. 5) Identify 3-5 events that led America into the Great Depression. 6) Identify 3-5 social impacts. 7) Create a Photo Story Presentation. 8) Will Create more slides that Group A. 9) Will use more visuals in presentation. 10) Will use audio in presentation. 11) Will create a longer, more detailed artifact than Group A. || **Group C: Above-Level Learners**

1) 10th or 11th Grade Level 2) Students will read the book __Freedom From Fear__ which is at a reading level above the 9th grade. 3) There are no visuals in this book. 4) Students will read a longer section from this book than Group A and C. 5) Identify 5-7 events that led America into the Great Depression. 6) Identify 5-7 social impacts. 7) Create a Prezi presentation. 8) Presentation will be more detailed and creative than Group A and C. 9) Will use more visuals in presentation. 10) Will use more audio in presentation. 11) Will use video in presentation. ||

Each group will present their assigned reading section to the rest of the class using a type of power point presentation (Microsoft Power Point, Photo Story, or Prezi Presentation). The type of power point presentation the student is assigned is based on the ability groups. Students should be creative and detailed with their presentations. Students may include clip art, photos, videos, primary sources, videos, audio etc. The presentations must answer the following questions: (But are not limited to this information!) 
 * __Assessment/Technology Integration:__**
 * Identify events that may have led America into its Great Depression.
 * Identify social impacts the Great Depression had on America.
 * Describe the lifestyles of American families from the Great Depression.
 * Explain how some Americans survived the Great Depression.
 * How did today's reading remind you of America's current economic situation?
 * Relate your reading to real experiences you or others have had.
 * What questions did you have when you finished the reading?
 * __Rubric/Evaluation:__**

 Offers few opinions and makes no personal connections to the text ||  Participates reluctantly in group discussions Offers few opinions and makes limited connections to the text ||  Participates competently in group discussions Offers some insightful opinions and makes connections to the text ||  Participates enthusiastically in group discussions Offers insightful and thoughtful opinions and makes pertinent connections to the text || Tasks are done with little or no genuine effort ||  Sometimes completes role tasks properly but not always on time Tasks are done with minimal effort ||  Completes role tasks independently and on time Tasks are thoughtfully done with genuine effort ||  Completes role tasks independently and on time Tasks are thoughtfully done demonstrating extension of the activity ||
 * Rubric for the Power Point:** Rubric: Great Depression Power Point
 * Literature Circle Assessment Rubric**
 * || ** Level One  ** || **  Level Two  ** || **  Level Three  ** || **  Level Four  ** ||
 * =** Discussion  **= ||  Does not participate in group discussions
 * ** Role Fulfillment  ** ||  Rarely completes role tasks properly and not always on time
 * ** Reading  ** ||  Rarely assigned reading completed on schedule  ||  Sometimes has assigned reading completed on schedule  ||  Has assigned reading completed on schedule  ||  Has assigned reading completed on schedule  ||

